Life in a Small Town
by David Carner
Summary: AU What happens when a new vet clinic opens up in Sadie, Kentucky when one already exists, ran by Chuck Bartowski? Did I mention the new clinic is ran by one Sarah Walker?
1. Ch 1, Natural Birth

A/N: So Zettel gave me this idea, and here's something you may not know about me, I grew up on a 100+ acre farm in Kentucky. Corn, soybeans, tobacco, and pigs were all a part of my background. Yes, what Chuck is about to do, I have done, and it's not pleasant for anyone involved. No Intersect, just life, just…fun, and fluff. Small town life, you might say. This fic takes place in fictional Sadie, Kentucky, a town in fictional LaCompt County, Kentucky. Places like Owensboro, Daviess County, and Owensboro Community and Technical College are real.

If you are one of the 8 who bought one of my short stories, thanks, but if you read it, or are one of the 40 who read my blog, you may recognize a little bit of one of the subplots. I promise, it's not the main plot. Also, fic takes place present day.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

"Well?" Casey asked. Chuck looked up at him. "What do you think, Doc?" It was a warm summer day in Kentucky. Chuck's curls were everywhere due to the humidity, and he had already sweat through his shirt. Between the heat, the humidity, the smell of the pig farm, and the current location of his right arm, Chuck was sure he'd had better days.

"You want the simple answer, or the correct answer?" Chuck asked, grunting while he spoke. His arm was… well, for lack of a better term, up the birth canal of the sow in front of him. Casey had called him in a panic not thirty minutes ago. The sow had begun to give birth, but he knew something was wrong. Chuck had hopped in his truck and drove over as quick as he could, not worrying about the speed limit. He had seen the entire county police force inside Lou's as he had pulled out of town, so that wouldn't be an issue.

When he got to Casey's farm, he had hurried down to the hog barn. There, he found Casey watching the sow trying to give birth, obviously distressed. Chuck climbed right into the pigpen and began to feel the sow's abdomen. He'd told Casey there was still at least one more piglet inside.

"You've got your hand so far up my pig's inside, I'm gonna say for her sake, give me simple."

"Cords are around the piglet's neck," Chuck replied, grunting again. He moved a little to the left, giving him a little more leverage. He had found the piglet's back legs and was moving his hand around the piglet. He found the front legs, and then felt what he had feared; the umbilical cord wrapped around the piglet's neck, choking the little guy.

"Damn, Bartowski, that looks… damn."

"Got it," he said, triumphantly, as he moved the cord and felt the tightness give. There was no time for natural birth, Chuck wasn't sure the little guy was breathing. He pulled his arm out slowly, pulling the piglet out of the sow. There was no breathing from the piglet, and Chuck rubbed his fingers on the piglet's chest.

The sow squealed and started to get up. "Stay where you are," Chuck said firmly. Casey's eyes went wide as the sow remained on the ground. "Come on," he whispered. A small squeal came from the piglet. Chuck reached down, grabbed the clippers, made the cut, and Casey quickly used the iron to cauterize the wound. The piglet squealed unhappily. Chuck put him to the ground and the piglet hurried away, squealing. "I like that cover you built in here."

"Thanks," Casey said, admiring the boards that were about a foot off the ground and stuck out about a foot all the way around the stall. "Does no good to have her birth them, only to lay down on them."

"Nope," Chuck admitted. He was checking out the sow while he was talking to Casey. "You might want to help me hold her." Chuck pulled out a needle.

"Christ," Casey muttered. "That's how you get kicked in the face."

"That's why I said hold on to her," Chuck said, quickly giving her the shot. The sow squealed, but didn't move. "She doesn't seem to be in distress, but how about I hang out here an hour or so to make sure."

"Doc, don't you have appointments?" Casey asked

"I had your daughter reschedule them," Chuck replied, grinning at Casey.

"I can't thank you enough, Bartowski," Casey said, the pride he had for his daughter obvious from the smile on his face.

"I should thank you," Chuck replied. "She's been a godsend."

"John," they heard the female voice calling out.

"Shit, she's gonna give me hell for calling you out here," Casey said.

"If you didn't, that piglet could have died, gave the sow sepsis… then you'd had a hell of a time on your hands," Chuck told him.

"Seems your old man had a case go bad years ago," Casey said, shaking his head.

"I honestly don't know if it was or not. I suspect it was, but I don't know. Every one of the piglets died in her, and she wouldn't go into labor," Chuck said, thinking back to one of the first times he was involved in being a vet.

"What happened?" Casey asked.

"You had to do what I just did… but…" he trailed off.

"How bad?" Casey asked, fearful to hear.

"They came out in pieces," Chuck told him.

"Christ," Casey muttered.

"Lost the whole litter, and the hog died shortly thereafter. We had to get her out of the pen before the others ate her."

"So she wouldn't poison the others?" Casey inquired. Chuck nodded.

"John Casey, you tell me right now you didn't call him down here!" Gertrude yelled, coming into the barn.

"Now Gert," Chuck said, making her give him a level look. Chuck just grinned at her. "If Casey hadn't called me… you'd have at least one dead piglet, and possibly a sow, too."

Gertrude studied the two and then huffed a sigh. "Have you at least offered him a drink?"

"Beer, Bartowski?" Casey asked, thankful Chuck had saved his backside.

"I've got more work to do this evening," Chuck admitted. "How about some Iced Tea?"

"Coming up," Gertrude said, heading back up toward the house. Soon all three were on the porch, drinking their tea. "Chuck, you had an appointment, didn't you?"

A slow grin covered Chuck's face. "Aw, hell, Bartowski, tell me it wasn't her." The grin grew. "It's like you live now to piss her off."

"What happened to you two, Chuck?" Gertrude asked. Chuck sat there, staring off into the distance, at the gentle roll of the hill. He watched as the corn moved slightly with the gentle, warm breeze. He had asked himself that question many times… What happened to them?

"All I can tell you is when we got to Auburn…" Chuck trailed off. "Either she became who she really was and had been hiding, or she decided that she wanted this other life." He was silent, listening to the birds call in the woods across the fields.

"You've been back three years, Chuck," Casey began. "That's the most I've heard you say about her, and Auburn."

Chuck shrugged and took a sip of his tea. "Who the hell calls that little toy poodle 'Fredrico', _and_ brings him in for a checkup every three months?"

Casey snorted. "So Fredrico missed another checkup?" Chuck laughed and shook his head. Chuck and Jill had been high school sweethearts after his parents had been killed in a drunk driving accident. Chuck didn't run the vet clinic after his parents died, but no one knew more about animals than Chuck Bartowski by that time. Jill had accompanied him many times to the surrounding farms, as he assisted any way he could when needed. Casey and Gertrude had become Chuck and Ellie's _de facto_ guardians.

While many don't consider Kentucky the south, Kentucky does. Small towns like Sadie looked out for one another. Chuck and Ellie continued to live in their house, helped out by the Caseys when needed, but they lived their life. Ellie had broken many hearts in town when she didn't go to UK or U of L, but instead left the state and went to Vanderbilt University. There she met the love of her life, Devon Woodcomb. They now worked at the University of Kentucky Hospital.

No one was surprised when Chuck and Jill went off together to Auburn University. However, many were surprised, including Mayor Roberts, that Jill came home after finishing her bachelors accompanied by her boyfriend, Bryce Larkin. Chuck had caught Bryce and Jill in a compromising position during their junior year, and that had been the end of Jill and Chuck. Chuck had finished his degree and was now running the old family business, and God, did it look old.

Stephen Bartowski and John Casey had literally built _Animals, Large and Small_ from the ground up. John was an experienced carpenter, and Stephen was many things, including a licensed electrician. The good people of Sadie had been taking their pets to Owensboro, about a thirty-minute drive. The larger animals, they didn't have anyone close by to help them.

When Chuck reopened his family vet practice, farmers all over the county rejoiced. It was understood that the domestic pets would sometimes have to wait for a farm emergency. Chuck was on call at all times. Most of LaCompt county understood, except for one person: Jill Roberts.

Jill had been lobbying for another vet to come to Sadie before Chuck ever returned, and after he returned, she continued lobbying for the smaller animals. She claimed Chuck preferred the larger animals – pigs, horses, cows, what have you – over domesticated pets. That wasn't true, except for Fredrico.

Fredrico was a tiny, whiny, nippy little snot of a dog that reminded Chuck of her owner. So of course, when a call came in that a horse _might_ be having issues, Chuck quickly responded to the call, leaving Jill sitting in his lobby. That was the last straw for Jill. Chuck really wasn't sure what the first straw was, but by the same token he didn't care, either. Bryce said he knew someone, strings were pulled by Jill, and a nice new shiny veterinarian clinic was being built in Sadie called _Creature Comforts_.

Truth be told, Chuck didn't mind. He had _all_ the business he needed. He worked ridiculous hours, but also there were a _lot_ of animals in the area, and there were times he could use some help. He figured that a new vet wouldn't be interested in working together with him, but there might be times it was called for; required, even.

"She's probably gone by now," Casey said, making Gertrude snort. Chuck just grinned, stood, and stretched. He started back down to the barn. "Where you goin'?"

"To check on that sow," Chuck replied. "I seriously stayed here for her." They watched him walk down to the barn.

"You told him about the cattle?" Gertrude asked.

"Nope, he's doing too much for us as it is," Casey said softly. "I'm concerned about this new vet, what it might do to him."

"He's made his choices, John."

"I know, Gertrude, but you know Bartowski. He'll give someone the shirt off his back, after he has it dry cleaned."

"And properly starched," Gertrude added. "Might ought to remind him he should bathe before he heads back into town." She took a sniff of the air. "Same goes for you."

}o{

Chuck drove his old F-250 back into Sadie, having bathed. He was glad Casey offered to fix his truck last time in lieu of payment. He had a 2.5-55 AC until Casey had installed the new air conditioner. (That's the two side windows down, and the back window slid open going down the road at 55 miles per hour, for you city folks). He pulled into Sadie and went directly to Lou's. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, and while the smell at barn had dulled his appetite, the shower and drive back had reminded him of his current gastronomic situation.

He parked his truck to the side of Lou's, got out, walked in, and headed to the bar. "Hey, good lookin'," Lou said to him, grinning. "Where have you been hiding?"

"Haven't you heard, Lou?" Chuck heard the female voice say. He closed his eyes, not before he saw Lou wince. "He only cares about large animals, not people or their pets."

"Jill, you're being ridiculous," Fred said, sitting on the other side of the bar.

"It's okay, Fred," Chuck said softly. "Thanks," he said with a nod.

"Have you any decent reason as to why you left me and poor Fredrico waiting in your office… _again_?"

"I do," Chuck said, turning towards her. Why don't we go to my office and discuss it, after I've had a bite?"

"No, you embarrassed me, so I get to do the same to you," Jill said, slapping the bar angrily.

"Jill, what I need to explain to you is quite graphic, and people are trying to eat," Chuck pleaded. "Lou doesn't need to lose business today over this."

"It's fine, Chuck," Fred said. Jill gave him a look that read, _see_.

"Okay," Chuck said, resigned that he had tried to warn them. "One of Casey's sows was in distress. The piglet was caught by the umbilical cord, and it was choking to death. If the piglet died, it could have rotted inside the sow, killing it." Fred dropped the piece of bacon he was eating onto his plate, pushing the plate away. "Tried to warn you, Fred." Jill looked a little queasy. "Listen, I took care of the sow, and the piglets, went home, showered because of the heat and the smell, and came here to get some food. Let me eat, and I'll be glad to see your dog."

Jill's face froze. "Say his name," she said. Chuck had to fight to not roll his eyes.

"Let me eat, and I'll be glad to see…" he looked down at the dog she had in her purse. "Fredrico."

"No," Jill said, with a smirk. "Fredrico and I will be one of the first to see our new vet in town, Sarah Walker, next week."

"Okay," Chuck said, turning away and picking up the menu. "How's the meatloaf, Lou?"

"Amazing with some boiled cabbage, white beans, cornbread, and a glass of tea," she answered, wrapping silverware off to the side, giving him a wink.

"That's what I'll have," Chuck said, with a nod.

"What about me?" Jill asked.

"You like meatloaf?"

Jill huffed. "God, you are such a dope. Chuck, why? Why can't you see the bigger picture? Why must you be like this?"

"Like what?"

"Stuck here," Jill replied.

Chuck studied her a second. "I don't feel stuck, but it sounds like you do." Jill rolled her eyes, huffed and started to storm out. She shoved the door open, hitting Bryce with it as he began to come in. Several jumped up to help Bryce and Jill. Chuck turned his chair away and back to Lou. "You feel stuck, Lou?"

"Nope," Lou answered with a grin.

"You gonna sneak me a piece of that Pecan Pie?"

"Nope, but I'll sell it to you."

"You drive a hard bargain." Chuck took a drink of the tea Lou had placed in front of him during the door incident. "How's Henry?"

"He cussed me, Chuck," Lou said, disgust in her voice.

"You ever cuss him?" Chuck asked. Lou looked away. "That bird probably learned it from you. I _did_ warn you."

"Oh, what do you know," she said, faux glaring at him.

"According to the majority of women in this town, not much," he said spreading his hands.

"Oh, hush, you," she said, as she turned and got his food from the kitchen opening. "Eat, before you have to go run off and save someone else's livelihood."

Chuck gave her a look, and she quickly straightened and moved away. "There is something wrong at his farm, isn't there?"

"It's not my business, Chuck," Lou answered.

"When has that ever stopped you," Chuck groused. She stuck her tongue out at him and moved away. Chuck began to eat, but paused after a bit and slowly looked over his shoulder. No one was paying him any attention, in fact… they appeared to be going out of their way to _not_ pay attention to him. He slowly turned back around, but stopped when he had Fred in his sight. Fred looked very nervous. "Wanna tell me what's going on, Fred?"

"Nope," Fred answered.

"Well, that tells me something is going on," Chuck said, still looking at Fred.

"They're worried," Lou said, walking back his direction.

"Who?"

"Everyone, Chuck. They're worried this new vet will put you out of business."

Chuck turned around in his seat. "Everyone, listen: From what I understand, she's going to concentrate on small animals, like pets. And we all know that I'm running all over the county. It's fine, I get it. I'm not that reliable because I never know when I'll get called away." Everyone looked extremely uncomfortable.

"They're also worried she's not as good as you," Lou told him.

"Well of course she's not," Chuck said with a grin. No one else was grinning. "What do they want me to do, watch her work?" Chuck noticed a few heads perk up. "Guys, I can't."

"I understand, Chuck," Lou said. She leaned in toward him. "It's them… _they_ don't." Chuck laughed and began to eat his meal.

* * *

A/N: We're just warming up with this one. Do we like it? Next chapter, we meet the new vet as only Chuck Bartowski can.


	2. Ch 2, Zombies Aren't Real

A/N: I promised a reader no accents, but for the record, if you're talking about a coyote in Kentucky…we call them cyote (kīˌōt). I don't know why, but we do. Also, the barn in the picture you see, was the old hog barn that I once...well...yeah. The land behind it, part of our farm. Dad retired, took out the fence row and now my sister owns the place. Lot of memories in that barn...

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

Chuck had nearly finished eating when he heard the door open and heavy footsteps enter, followed by two lighter pair. Chuck was grinning as he chewed, as the seats to the left and right were taken, and he felt a small man standing behind him. The door burst open, and a fourth set of footsteps rushed in to join the other three.

"Big Mike, what have I done to deserve the attention of the entire LaCompt County police force?" Chuck asked, taking a bite of the cornbread. He could sense Big Mike's mouth beginning to water.

"Zombies," Jeff blurted out to his left side. Chuck whipped his head around, and Jeff looked serious… of course, figuring out all of Jeff's looks was a feat unto itself.

"Ignore him, Bartowski," Big Mike said, as Chuck turned back to his right to watch the bigger man. Big Mike's eyes kept glancing down at Chuck's plate.

"Have you eaten today, Big Mike?" Chuck asked.

"Only six donuts," Big Mike replied. "I'm feeling a little peckish."

"Lou," Chuck said to the shorter woman, who was listening to the whole thing. She shook her head, knowing what was coming. "Would you give Big Mike the same thing I had, and put it on my tab?"

"Trying to bribe an official?" Chuck felt the hot breath hit his neck as Lester bent over him, trying to scare Chuck.

"Hiding something, Bartowski?" Emmett hissed as he leaned over Chuck's other shoulder. The two had been fighting to be Big Mike's #1 deputy for months. Chuck was pretty sure Jeff was #1, because he caused no trouble. Chuck wasn't inclined to tell _them_ that, though.

Chuck spun around in his chair, making both men jump back in surprise. "The year after my parents died, I went to the store to buy the food I needed to make Ellie a special dinner for her birthday." The two men went stone-cold silent. "I went home with the ingredients, and tried to make it. I ruined it, and I had spent all our money for the week on those groceries."

Chuck glanced over at Big Mike. "This guy saw me crying the next day after school, and asked me what happened. I told him, he took me to the store, bought all I needed and more, took me to his house, and he and Mrs. Grimes made Ellie's birthday dinner. The man is hungry, and right now I'm in a spot to help him out, not that he needs it. But I want to, because this town has always taken care of each other."

Big Mike clapped him on the back. "Well said, son, well said."

Chuck turned around to his food and was surprised to see a piece of pecan pie there. "I never ordered this, Lou."

She winked at him. "Consider it on the house for reminding some people of how we do things around here."

"She is so sweet on you," Jeff blurted out. Chuck and Lou both glared at him.

"Son, I need a favor," Big Mike said. Chuck turned toward him. "If you hear of any strange animal killings, I need you to let me know."

"What's going on?" Chuck asked. Big Mike glanced at his #2 and #3 deputies. They both shook their heads and Chuck rolled his eyes. "Big Mike… really?"

"No, I was asked to keep you out of this." Chuck's eyes widened. "But if I can't figure it out…"

"I got you," Chuck said, clapping his back. He glanced at the two deputies. "Not trying to be rude, but I've missed several appointments today already."

"Go, go," Big Mike told him. "Where was your call at?"

"Casey's," Chuck told him, missing the glance between Emmitt and Lester. "Had a piglet getting choked out in the birth canal."

"How do you fix that?" Big Mike asked. Chuck took a last drink of his tea, set the glass down, and turned toward Mike, grinning. "Never mind, I figured it out," Big Mike said, shaking his head.

Chuck bid everyone goodbye and took off. "Lou," Big Mike said, shoving a twenty towards her. "Put this on his bill." Lou stared at it and then him. "If folks keep losing their livestock, no one may be able to pay him, especially with that new vet coming to town."

"How bad is it?" Lou asked, taking the money and crediting Chuck's account.

"If he ever slows down for five minutes and listens to all the gossip, he'd hear all about it. Then he'd be at my door the next minute," Big Mike replied.

"I'm telling you, zombies," Jeff said.

Big Mike glanced at Jeff and then back to Lou. "I'm not sure that's the dumbest thing he's ever said." Lou's eyes widened.

}o{

It was close to seven before Chuck pulled off the road and started up his driveway to his house. He parked the truck, got out, and grinned as two collies headed toward him; Peaches and Lassie. Chuck squatted down hugging and rubbing both dogs. "Peaches, have you been good today?" He turned to the other dog. "Lassie, is Timmy in the well?" Lassie barked and Chuck laughed, following the two dogs up the driveway.

They came upon a cage with a sign on it saying "The Well." A beagle came out of the dog house. It was obvious the small canine had been in a fight. Chuck started to stick his hand through the cage but stopped. "Sorry buddy, much as I want to, I gotta protect me." He looked up and saw the clipboard hanging from the cage.

Chuck took a deep breath. Back when he started the clinic, he knew some animals would need special care, so he built the dog shelter in the back of the yard. Over the years, dogs who had been in fights found themselves in this kennel. The newest "Timmy" was no exception. Chuck shook his head at deciding to call the kennel "The Well," and every dog that was in it, "Timmy." He thought by doing this, it would depersonalize things. It shocked no one when Chuck realized it didn't work.

Chuck blew out a breath, looked at the clipboard and smiled at seeing Alex's writing. _Blood tests negative._ Chuck sighed… so far, no sign of rabies. _If_ it showed up… "Timmy" gave him a mournful look. He could put the dog down, but he would feel awful doing so. "Okay, buddy, make it a few more days, and you're free, okay?" The beagle gave a low howl. "I get it. Trust me buddy, I get it." Chuck double-checked his feed and water, then headed up to the house. He figured he'd have company eventually that evening.

It was close to seven thirty when he heard the truck tires crunching over gravel, drowning out the sounds of the whippoorwills. Casey parked his truck, got out and came over, with what appeared to be a case of beer in his hand. Chuck lifted an eyebrow.

"If you had to put down Major, we'd need more than this for Alex," Casey explained.

"She hasn't told you?" Chuck asked.

Casey shook his head, taking a seat on the porch swing near Chuck in his rocking chair. "Nope, she's out with your buddy, Grimes." The way he said it was like he was trying to spit it all out of his mouth, so he'd never have to say it again.

"He owns his own store, Casey," Chuck said, looking over at the older man. Casey made a face. "And, before you say a thing about how he inherited _Grimes Mercantile_ from his family, I inherited _my_ business from _my_ dad."

"Yeah, but yours isn't your last name," Casey argued.

"Some would say I don't treat small animals," Chuck retorted. Casey shrugged, grabbed a beer and popped it open. "Heard a lot of equipment today while I was at your place."

"Roberts thinks there's oil on his land," Casey explained. "He's had that company down there for weeks."

"'Bout the same time Major got hurt," Chuck said, looking out over the land. He found himself thinking of his father, a few months after they had bought the house and farmland. Chuck didn't like Kentucky when they first moved there. He didn't like the humidity. And everyone talked weird, as far as he was concerned.

"_Why do we live here now? What was wrong in California?" Chuck asked his dad that night, around the same time it was right then._

_Stephe__n g__ently pulled Chuck to him, hoisted Chuck into his lap, as they rocked in the same exact chair Chuck was currently sitting in. "Look out there__,__ son."_

"_Is this _The Lion King_? D__o we own everything we can see?" Chuck asked. Stephen laughed and squeezed his son._

"_Your mother and I lived a life that was… __unrelenting__. We never got to enjoy what we did. We were overworked and __burned__ out, and I and my partner made a major mistake. Luckily__,__ we stopped it from being a permanent problem. Your mother and I took stock of what was important to us, and we both said it was you and your sister. We knew if we stayed, where we were, we'd be sucked back into that life."_

"_But you love computers," Chuck argued._

"_And you love people, and Peaches," Stephen gently reminded him. "You get to live your __life__, son. I want to give you a chance at that, a chance for us to be a family."_

"Kid," Casey said. Chuck shook his head and looked at Casey. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Chuck replied. "Thinking about something Dad told me after we first moved here."

Casey studied him for a moment. "You gotta work tomorrow?"

"Don't know, you gonna call me at the ass-crack of dawn to sexually assault your pig again?" Chuck asked. Casey spit out the beer he was drinking. "Hey, don't waste that," he said, laughing.

"I have no plans to," Casey replied, chuckling. "Why don't I swing by in the morning, pick up the trailer, and go mow for you?" Chuck didn't say anything. "Kid, you need some rest."

"Casey, what happened to Major?" Chuck asked. He saw Casey swallow.

"Don't know, kid," Casey began.

"There was blood on him, Casey. Cow's blood. Earlier today Big Mike asked me about any cattle being assaulted."

"Damn it," Casey cursed under his breath. He was silent for a minute. It was getting dark, and Chuck watched the lightning bugs flash in the twilight. He slowly continued his rocking, waiting on Casey. "I really don't know, kid," Casey said softly. "By the time I got there… it wasn't no cyote, regardless of what Big Mike tried to say."

"Wasn't the first time he's seen it, was it?" Chuck asked Casey, turning to him.

"I don't think so, from what he said. But again, I don't know," Casey admitted.

"I'm guessing Roberts didn't admit to anything like this happening to his cattle, did he?"

Casey shook his head, peering out into the night sky. There were few clouds, the sky mostly clear. The soft noises of the crickets, whippoorwills, frogs, and all the other nocturnal creatures were comforting… until Casey spoke. "No one has seen Graham for a while."

"Huh," Chuck said, and then took a pull from his beer. Langston Graham, or Graham, as he was known around town, still didn't have electricity or running water. He was in his late 80s and lived in what could best be described as a shack, on his property between the Casey and Roberts farms. Graham bathed about once every six months and, at one time, had all the grass around his house burnt away so he could see any snakes coming.

Chuck laughed, "He once said to me if he reaches 100, he's going to put electricity in. He thinks it will get too hot in the summer for him to handle it at that point." Casey laughed. "You check on him often?" Chuck asked.

Casey shook his head. "Naw," he answered. "He got bitten by a dog a while back, and we wanted to take him to the hospital, but he don't believe in hospitals. He didn't show any signs of anything, so we left him alone. I tried to stop by more often, but when you only bathe every so often…"

"Rank?" Chuck offered. "Fragrant?"

Casey grunted in laughter. "Something like that," he said. "Speaking of dogs…"

"So far so good," Chuck replied. "Major has shown no signs of rabies."

"Excellent," Casey said, pushing himself up to his feet. "Take tomorrow off, Bartowski."

"Sure," Chuck replied with a grin on his face. "You say that now…"

"I got the mowing," Casey said walking to his truck.

"Not if I do it first," Chuck said softly. Casey pulled away, and Chuck sat there for nearly another hour, enjoying the night, thinking, and missing his family. He got up and went inside to go to bed. A weird howl from the other side of the creek made him pause. He shut the door, and double checked to make sure the shotgun was loaded beside the door.

}o{

Chuck tried to sleep in, but as the heat and humidity rose, so did he. He hooked up the trailer to his truck and was at the cemetery, a mile from his home, by 7 am. He got out the push mower and began to slowly cut grass between the graves. He was sweating in no time. It was July and if Chuck had to bet, either the heat or the humidity was at 80 or higher… or both. He finished the push mowing between the graves, then got out the weed eater, slowly and with precision, trimming beside the gravestones. He finished the last one, went into his truck, and grabbed a bag. He walked over to the gravestone in the back, squatting down in front of it.

"Hey," he said, wiping a few random blades of grass off the stone. "It's been real busy." He divided the flowers he pulled out of the bag, putting half in the flower holder on one side, and half in the other. "I really need to know something, Dad… why would you insist Casey raise hogs? He has _no_ idea what he's doing half the time." Chuck heard the truck before it pulled in. "Speaking of which, gotta go… he's gonna yell at me."

"Bartowski, I thought I told you I'd mow?!" Casey yelled.

"You also told me that I didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground," Chuck retorted.

"Well, you don't," Casey shot back. He got out of his truck, surveyed what had been done and went to back the huge mower down the ramp.

"Don't," Chuck said. "I've already got grass clippings all over me, and it will only take me two minutes to finish up with that zero-point-turn mower."

"Fine," Casey said, huffing like a large child. "Why the hell are you out here?"

"Sometimes I miss my family," he said with a shrug.

Casey looked away, but not before Chuck saw a tear in Casey's eye. Chuck started the mower, and one minute forty-seven seconds later, he was done with the mowing.

"Don't you dare mow your yard today, that's Alex's job," Casey said.

"The hell it is, it's my house," Chuck countered.

"Well, since I'm paying for Major's vet bill," Casey retorted.

"Like I'm charging you," Chuck began.

"Bartowski, you can't keep doing this," Casey growled.

"Then go see the new vet," Chuck replied. "Casey, it's not like you're rolling in it, and I _know_ you didn't do as good last year with the animals. I should know, since I had to euthanize four."

"Are you sure I didn't-"

"Casey," Chuck interrupted. "Animals get sick, and their immune systems are complex. Sometimes the craziest thing can take them out."

"I don't know what the hell I'm doin'," Casey muttered.

"Working your ass off," Chuck replied. "And you do."

"Now you're just lyin'," Casey told him. "Come on and head home. I'm mowing your yard, and you're going grocery shopping."

"Alex raid my fridge again?"

"Bartowski, there would have to be something in there to raid," Casey replied.

}o{

He knew he could go up to Owensboro for a better selection of food, and cheaper prices, but there was something about shopping at the _Piggly Wiggly_ that just made him feel like home. He was pushing his cart down the aisle when he saw a woman he didn't know, fussing over cantaloupes.

"How the hell do you know when they're ripe?" he heard her grumble.

"I think yours are about perfect," Chuck said, and then realized how that sounded. She turned around, her eyebrow raised. Chuck was taken aback by the beauty in front of him. She had on a simple white top, jeans, and a pair of orange Chucks. Her blue eyes were like a sea he could get lost in, and her golden hair was put up in a pony tail. "Your melons I mean." Oh Jesus, that wasn't any better. "The ones in your hand, please don't kill me, I know that sounded horrible and I feel terrible and it was not an innuendo at all."

She smiled at him. "How do you know?" the woman asked him. Confusion filled his face. "That they are about perfect?"

"Oh," Chuck replied, grinning. "See that sign?" She looked down and saw that it said _Locally Grown_. "That's Brenda and George's melons. They only bring them in when they're ripe. They sell out fast. I suspect he brought those in this morning."

"Oh," the woman replied. "That makes sense." She put one down and the other in her cart. "Thank you," she said, extending her hand. "Sarah Walker." Chuck caught her hand and shook it.

"Ch-Charles Irving," he replied. What the hell was he doing?

"I'm new in town and I'm trying to make my lunch for the week before things get crazy. If I don't, I won't eat right, or just won't eat."

"Can't have that," Chuck said, feeling out of his depth. "What do you do?"

"I'm the new vet in town," she said. "Not that there's anything wrong with the old vet, it's just he seems to be much more into larger animals."

"Is he?" Chuck asked.

Sarah nodded. "I don't mean any offense to him, but I really think there's enough for both of us here to not step on toes."

"Oh, I doubt he takes any offense, and it _will_ make him wear sensible shoes," Chuck replied. Oh God, what was he _doing_?! "Got any appointments for Monday yet?"

"No," Sarah replied, shaking her head with a sad smile. "Jill Roberts is coming in on Tuesday. She said she doesn't, and I quote, _do Mondays_" Sarah said, making air quotes with her fingers.

"S'about the only thing she doesn't do," Chuck muttered. Sarah's eyes widened. "My bad."

"I know she's been vocal about me coming here, but… it's not like we're friends or anything. I just know her boyfriend from high school," Sarah admitted. Chuck's eyebrow raised, and a slow grin came over his face. "Yes," she grumbled. "_Ex_-boyfriend, with an emphasis on the _ex_."

"It sounds like those two deserve each other," Chuck replied.

"You have any pets?" Sarah asked. Chuck nodded. "When've yours had a checkup at the vet?"

"Never," Chuck replied. It wasn't a lie, he had never brought any of his animals in.

"Well, how about you be my first customer Monday morning at 9 am, free of charge?"

"I don't know Miss Walker-"

"I insist," Sarah said.

"Okay, but I have to pay, it's only fair," Chuck replied.

"Friends and family discount?" she asked, reaching out her hand.

"Does that make me a friend, or like a weird third-cousin?" Chuck asked her.

"A friend," she replied. Yeah, that was gonna go well, since he didn't exactly tell her who he was or what he did. This was gonna be bad, but he had to know; was she really a friend of Jill, or not?

"I will see you Monday."

"Bye, Charles," she said, with a smile and a little finger-wave.

"Bye, Sarah," Chuck replied. He turned around and there stood Big Mike.

"Son," he said shaking his head. "You are the DUMBEST smart guy I know."

"Big Mike, did you just run into me by coincidence? Or is there another reason you got the privilege of watching me make a world-class fool out of myself?"

Big Mike's features softened. "We found Graham's dog." Chuck waited. "Something tore it apart."

"Something?" Chuck asked. "What is 'something'?"

"That's what I need; for you to figure it out."

* * *

A/N: In case you're wondering, I pretty much told you what my dad has done once a week in the summer for thirty-five years. He never would let me mow the cemetery. Do we own it? No, but it holds his parents, my grandparents, so we treat it as such.

Oh, and Chuck… yeah. I know.


	3. Ch 3, Time for Your Shots

A/N: A lot of you have a lot of guesses, some of them are closer than you realize, and some of you are way off. Yes, I'm having a lot of fun with this world, and I need you to keep in mind I'm just getting started, regardless of what you think happens in a few chapters. Did I spoil anything? I don't know, I don't think, but who knows. Also, thank you all for all the reviews. I can't remember having this many in this short amount of time with these few chapters. I won't lie, it feels nice. On with our tale.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

"What do you think?" Big Mike asked. Chuck was squatting down, looking at the remains of Graham's dog. It had been dead a few days, but it didn't take a trained eye to see something had torn the flesh of the animal. Chuck looked up, the leaves of the overhanging trees blocking the view of the sun.

"How'd you find him?" Chuck asked. Big Mike was silent. "How many men have been bit?" Big Mike didn't say anything else. Chuck shook his head, dropped the stick he had been using to move grass and leaves around looking for any clues near the dog, and stood. He swiped his hands against each other, knocking off any loose dirt and debris. "See you boys later," and with that Chuck headed toward his truck.

"Bartowski!" Big Mike called after him. Chuck never said a word. He climbed into his truck, looked the man right in the eye, gave him a few seconds to tell him what really happened. When he didn't, Chuck started the truck, backed it up, and then took off.

}o{

Chuck pulled into Casey's a few minutes later. Gertrude came out of the house. Chuck had the window down and hadn't shut off the engine.

"He's not here, Chuck."

"You need to tell him to watch out, there's something rabid out there," Chuck warned her. "It killed Graham's dog, and some cattle. And, I'm pretty sure some people have been bitten."

"It took out four of our cattle," Gertrude said.

"And almost got Major," Chuck added. Gertrude looked away. "Gertrude, I will always appreciate how you and Casey basically raised Ellie and I after our parents' death, but he has got to quit babying me."

"It's all he knows," Gertrude replied, with the half smile on her face that always displayed her warmth. "Come inside?"

"Nah, I got the day off, and I should enjoy it," Chuck replied.

"Nap?"

"Gonna try," he said grinning at her.

}o{

As Chuck pulled into his driveway, he became quite excited. He parked the truck and jumped out quickly. "ELLIE!?"

"Hey, Chuck!" his sister yelled, getting out of the rocking chair and running towards him. The two hugged each other in the front yard as they heard the screen door open.

"Awesome!" came the booming voice. A minute later he joined the two in a group hug.

"I put our stuff in my old room, it that-" was as far as she got until Chuck gave her a look, cutting her off. She held her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, baby brother, it's _our_ house, but I keep telling you if you find someone, you can't sell it."

"I don't think we have anything to worry about," Chuck said.

"Lou would gobble you up in a heartbeat my dude," Awesome said, giving him a pointed look. Chuck looked away, a blush covering his face. "You know I'm right."

"Okay, okay, enough," Ellie chided Devon. "So, I'm cooking tonight-"

"Nope, I'm grilling," Chuck argued.

"How about you both do your thing," Devon suggested.

"We do make a pretty good team," Ellie admitted.

"I mean, I _do_ carry the load," Chuck said, grinning, as his sister gave him a shove. "Do we want to invite Gertrude and Casey?"

"Of course we do," Ellie said, and then she saw the look on Devon's face. "Honey, go watch football."

"You sure you don't mind, Chuck?" Devon asked, nearly pleading.

"Not at all, Devon," Chuck assured the blond man. "We probably need to go into town and get some more stuff. I only bought a few things."

"Wait… you've _been_ to the store already?" Ellie asked. Chuck shrugged sheepishly and Ellie huffed and rolled her eyes. "You truly are an overgrown child."

"Yeaaaaaah, but you love me."

"Let's go, ya dork," Ellie teased. She gave Devon a kiss and got into the truck with Chuck, and they drove away. They chatted along the way and as they got into town, she gave a sigh. "We really should invite Morgan."

"I won't tell him it was your idea," Chuck teased. Chuck parked the truck in front of the store and walked in. _Grimes Mercantile_ was a huge farm supply store. He carried everything you could need on a farm, and a lot of home supplies, as well.

They walked in and Morgan was at the front desk, turned away from the door, writing on a pad. "I need a left-handed hammer," Ellie said.

Morgan laid the pencil down and Chuck and Ellie could feel him roll his eyes. He slowly turned around, the "happy" expression forced. "Hammers can be used by the right… ELLIE!" He hopped over the desk and hugged her.

"What did we say about this, Morgan?" Ellie asked. Morgan let go of Ellie quickly, but the grin refused to fall from his face. "Oh, okay, one," she said, and Morgan gave her a hug again.

"We're having a big cookout tonight. You interested?" Chuck asked.

"Of course I am," Morgan replied. He looked around and leaned in, dropping his voice. "Have you heard about this thing out in the county?"

"Kinda," Chuck admitted. "I think a wolf or coyote has rabies."

"Is your gun in the truck?" Ellie asked, concern on her face. Chuck nodded. "I normally hate that thing, but…"

"Come on, Ellie, it's not like he's gonna shoot anyone. He's got, what, a rifle and a shotgun to defend himself from animals, and with where all he goes, he'd rather be safe than sorry," Morgan defended his friend.

"Shotgun is loaded with rock salt," Chuck added.

"Still," Ellie said. She shook her head. "Okay, change the subject, because I know you Chuck. If you think it's for safety, then I understand."

"Can I bring Alex?" Morgan asked. Chuck just grinned.

}o{

Chuck had grilled burgers and hot dogs, and fed them on the sly to Peaches and Lassie when no one was looking. Ellie made potato salad, baked beans, and two different pies. Casey and Gertrude brought a casserole. Morgan and Alex brought a watermelon, making it a typical summer cookout. It was getting close to nine, the group enjoying the outside air and talking amongst themselves, when they heard a howl that made their hair stand on end.

"What the hell was that?" Morgan asked.

"That is what I've been worried about," Chuck muttered. He started toward his truck, noticing Casey already starting toward him. "Ellie," he began.

"Got it, I'll get all the animals inside," she said. "You too, Morgan."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Morgan muttered.

"Devon, shotgun by the door has rock salt in it. It won't kill that thing, but it will make it think twice," Chuck explained. Seeing Devon's discomfort, he added "If it comes up to the house, and you see a bit of foam, assume it has rabies." Devon paled and straightened.

"Got it, Chuckster."

"What about Major?" Alex asked. Chuck glanced off to the dog shelter.

"Alex… God… I can't risk your life and everyone else's," Chuck began. Alex nodded, but looked extremely unhappy.

Casey tossed Chuck a helmet with a light on it, attached to a battery pack. Chuck clipped the pack to his belt and tested the control on the pack. A beam of light shot out through the night.

"Alex, you know what would happen if Major has rabies, and bit you." Casey said.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," she rebutted, heading inside.

"Copy that," Casey muttered. Turning to Chuck, he added "This isn't good, Bartowski."

"If it's coming at people…" Chuck began, but trailed off.

"Right… it has no fear, and there's no telling what it might try," Casey said. "Hop in, we'll drive to the edge of the field and start hunting it from there." Chuck climbed in and the two drove to the edge of the field, bouncing uncomfortably as the truck traversed the dirt that hardly qualified as a road.

"There's light," Casey said, pointing to a spot within the woods. "Who's stupid enough to be out there?"

"Who's there?" came the yell from the woods.

Chuck and Casey exchanged a glance. "Big Mike," they said together. Big Mike stepped out of the trees seconds later, followed by a blond woman.

"Oh boy," Chuck muttered.

}o{

"So, you're the town vet," Sarah said, back at his home a little bit later. Her arms were crossed, and she was glaring at him.

"I am," Chuck admitted. "And I really would like to apologize to you, but there is a reason I did what I did. Several actually… none of them really good ones…" Chuck watched as his sister rolled her eyes, and seemed to rub her temple at a headache. "Ellie," he said, as if trying to gain support.

"I would like to apologize for the idiot that is my brother," Ellie said, making Sarah grin a little. "He and Jill… well… there's a lot of unresolved…"

"Feelings for her?" Sarah asked.

Ellie studied Sarah for a moment and then glanced at her brother, who was shaking his head. Chuck turned and walked out the door into the night. Sarah looked after him. "He's fine… he sits out on the porch most nights." Ellie cleared her throat. "Chuck doesn't hate anyone," Ellie began.

"But if he did, it would be Roberts 1, and Larkin 1A," Casey said. "Sorry, but you'd sugarcoat it." Sarah pressed her lips together, thinking. Casey turned to Big Mike. "And what the hell were you doing, taking her out there?"

"Bartowski was no help!" Big Mike replied. "Besides she's capable, she's a vet as well."

"_She_ is right here," Sarah said, making both men look at her.

"I'm not questioning your doctoring abilities," Casey said. I'm questioning whether you've ever been in a situation where a rabid dog or cyote, or whatever the hell that thing is out there, is going to bear down on you and you have a clue how to react? I _know_ he does, and I was still nervous about taking him," he said, pointing at the door through which Chuck had departed.

Sarah didn't wilt under Casey's gaze, but she did seem a little uncomfortable. "I will admit, I haven't. But it is my job now."

"You don't have to dive into the deep end of the pool, especially with this idiot tied to your feet dragging you down," Casey said, waving towards Big Mike.

"I'm not an idiot, and what choice did I have when Chuck walked away?"

"And you did nothing that might make him want to walk away?" Casey asked. "I told you to keep him out of it."

"Well I didn't tell him anything," Big Mike insisted. "I took him to the site of Graham's dog's death, and he refused to answer anything."

"You moron, you know how he is since Roberts screwed him up. If you can't be upfront, he won't trust you with things," Casey said.

"Wait a minute, you didn't tell him what was going on?" Sarah asked.

"And big-brain figured it out," Casey huffed. "Mike, we've talked about this. The kid is gun shy at trusting anyone, but when someone he trusts holds something back…"

"Jill did a number on him," Devon said.

"And I'm sure a new vet, brought in by that same Jill, who used to date Jill's boyfriend in high school, could go a long way towards explaining some of his actions," Sarah said, looking down at the floor.

"That, and he's an absolute nerd. One look at you and he probably went stupid in the mouth." Everyone looked at Ellie after that little speech. "What? I love him to death, but we all know how he gets."

"He really is a great guy," Alex spoke up. "He's been generous with my schedule so I can finish up my degree."

"I'll talk to him, but…"

"No one's saying to forgive him," Ellie said. "But I promise you, whatever stupid thing he did, it was from a good place."

"He told me he was Charles Irving, and never told me he was a vet," Sarah began. Casey snorted in laughter, along with Ellie.

"I'm not getting it," Devon said, feeling like he should.

"Before your time, Devon," Ellie said, turning to Sarah. "He used to play spy when he was a kid. His full name is Charles Irving Bartowski, but everyone calls him Chuck. So, even when he was playing, he didn't like to lie. So he tried to find a way to not lie but, at the same time, pretend to be someone else," she explained.

Amusement covered Sarah's features. "Okay, but-"

"Sarah, ask him. I'm sure he'll tell you," Ellie replied. Sarah looked at the door Chuck had gone through.

"It's the townspeople, Sarah," Big Mike said, making everyone turn toward him. "They don't know you, and Jill hurt Chuck pretty bad with what she did. Everyone loves the guy, and Jill… well…"

"So I'm guilty by association," Sarah said, resigned.

"Yeah," Casey said, nodding. "That's how small towns work."

"Then why would he agree to come to my office with his dog on Monday?"

"Did he try to get out of it?" Ellie asked. Sarah nodded. "Did you push?" She twisted her lips and nodded. "Sarah… if he goes and sees you with Lassie or Peaches…" Ellie trailed off, as the two collies came over, having heard their names.

"If Bartowski lets you see either of those two, then the town knows you have his stamp of approval," Casey finished.

She was currently rubbing the head of Peaches, thinking about what Casey and Ellie said. "This is not like LA."

"God, no!" Ellie barked a laugh. "We lived in that area at one time, but we've been here for a long time. And when mom and dad died… well, LaCompt County kind of adopted us, and Gertrude and Casey really adopted us… in every way but legally."

"Too much paperwork," Casey drawled.

"Anyway," Ellie said, rolling her eyes at Casey. "Chuck has always put this town first, and that's what hurt so much about Jill. He thought she felt the same way he does. Turns out, she thinks she's being held down."

"I should talk to him," Sarah said, walking outside.

"Is it me, or is there something going on with those two?" Devon asked. Ellie gave him a look.

Outside, Chuck was rocking in his chair, the rifle nearby. "Worried it may come up here?"

"Yep," Chuck answered. He could feel Sarah becoming unsettled. "And that's my biggest worry, because an animal like that, that's not afraid of man…"

"Shit," she swore softly.

"Exactly," Chuck said. "I owe you a hell of an apology. I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to talk to me again."

"I've been told that if I don't talk to you, I'll never get any business here," Sarah replied.

Chuck was quiet for a moment. He was listening to the nocturnal animals, and noticed they had gone back to normal, making him relax. "The blessing and curse of a small town," Chuck said, breaking their silence. "I didn't know you, I know what you said, but…"

"If Jill is anything like Bryce, I totally understand," Sarah admitted. Chuck peered at her through the darkness. His eye had adjusted to the dark, and she looked uncomfortable. "Bryce… Bryce cheated on me, and made it sound like it was my fault."

"He did that in high school?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded. "Wow."

"Kind of soured my trusting nature. So, when I moved here, I thought first nice guy I met, I would try and be… normal."

"I'm so sorry I screwed that up."

"You did try and tell me that you didn't need to see a vet," Sarah said, chuckling.

"It is true, none of my dogs have ever been _to_ the vet," Chuck said. It was quiet for a moment.

"You are notorious for making house calls."

Chuck laughed. "Any way I can make it up to you?" he asked. "And just so you know, I'm not making some romantic move, this is me trying to do the right thing after doing the wrong thing originally."

"A couple of things," she began.

"A _couple_?!"

"Chuck, you haven't even heard yet," Sarah chided him.

"True… go ahead."

"You follow through with Monday, and when you have these infamous house calls, you try and send the animals that had appointments with you my way," Sarah said.

"I was gonna do that anyway," Chuck said.

"Well, I think we have come to a professional arrangement," Sarah said, placing her hands on her knees, ready to stand.

"You make it sound like one of us is a prostitute… _who,_ I don't know," Chuck muttered. Sarah laughed. "I do have one other stipulation."

"Oh you do?" Sarah asked. "Funny, as I was the one lied to."

"And I want to make things up to you," Chuck reminded her. She was silent, and Chuck took this as a sign to continue. "When I _do_ have these call-outs, and you don't have a patient, I want you to come with me. Not because I don't think you can do the job," he added quickly, and he swore he felt the smile in the dark coming from her. "But, because as you get to know these folks, maybe they'll send you their dogs and cats, and whatever."

"Do you think there's enough business for both of us?" Sarah asked.

"Dr. Walker, of that I'm positive," Chuck said. Sarah stood and walked over toward him.

"Start over?" she asked. Chuck nodded. She reached her hand forward. "Dr. Sarah Walker."

"Dr. Chuck Bartowski, but you can call me Chuck," he said with a grin. He reached out and shook her hand and in an instant, they both felt it. It was like electricity shot through them both. The door opened behind them, and the two jumped apart.

"Sorry Ma'am," Big Mike said. "But I need to get back."

"Of course," Sarah said, giving him a nod. She turned to Chuck and rubbed her hands on her pants. "So I'll see you Monday… Chuck?"

"Absolutely… Dr. Walker," Chuck replied.

"Chuck… feel free to call me Sarah, we're gonna be professional colleagues after all."

"Right, professional colleagues," Chuck agreed.

"Night, Chuck," Big Mike said. Sarah followed Big Mike, and she looked a little unsteady. She gave him a look before she got into the passenger seat of Big Mike's vehicle. Chuck waved at them as they left, and he realized there was no way they could see him in the dark.

"Professional colleagues," Chuck muttered. "Oh boy."

* * *

A/N: I'm so sure they'll be completely professional. Don't believe me, I have part of the next chapter to back up my claim

_Sarah turned to him and studied him for a second. "Do you ever wish, just for a day, people could live in your brain, see what you see, feel what you feel, understand the emotions you are having to deal with?"_

"_God, you just may have described my number one fantasy," Chuck said with a longing sigh._

"_You need some better fantasies," Sarah replied, making Chuck's eyes go wide._

….Hmmm, you may be right. This might be a trainwreck


	4. Ch 4, Peaches Goes to the Vet

A/N: For this chapter, no werewolves, or whatever you all have decided is currently roaming in the backwoods of Kentucky. This is Chuck simply going to the vet, that is Sarah…this will be fine…right? It's me writing it, it will be fine, right….RIGHT?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

"You coming, Peaches?" Chuck asked, holding the truck door open. Peaches hopped in, turned to look at Chuck, and then back to Lassie. Lassie was sitting on his haunches, giving Chuck a look. "Do you want to come too?" Lassie barked at Chuck. "Alright," Chuck said, making a motion to the door. Lassie hopped up and both dogs sat in the passenger seat. Chuck rolled the window down, knowing how happy it made them.

He walked around the truck, got in, started it up, and headed toward town. He rolled his window down as well, hanging his left elbow out as he drove down the road. He thought about the conversation he and Sarah had on the porch, about how he had protected himself. Ellie told him later that night he looked as "world weary" as always.

Since his parents died, he tried to be the person he thought everyone needed, that they deserved. But Jill broke something in him. Now he only worried about those that he could trust. He wasn't overtly mean; he was still kind to people when he could be. But he watched his back in a way he never had before Jill.

Ellie told him he couldn't keep this up, that this was Jill winning. But Chuck just nodded, listened to her, and then did what he wanted. Ellie had been on him to find someone. He liked Lou… a lot… but he was crazy busy with his vet practice, and she practically lived at the diner.

The Bartowskis had spent the day together yesterday, and Ellie and Devon headed back that evening. Chuck spent his night on the porch again, listening for the sounds that he had heard previous nights. The howling was absent, though. Later that night, after he had gone inside and was drifting off to sleep, he'd realized he didn't know which dog to bring with him to the vet appointment.

He reached the city limits, started down main street, and parked his truck in front of Lou's. He climbed out, opened the door for his two companions, and told them to sit out front.

"Hey, Chuck," Lou yelled, as he walked in. "What can I get for you?"

"I don't suppose the new vet has been in yet, has she?" Chuck asked.

"Yeah, she has. Yesterday for breakfast," Lou replied. "Why?"

"I did something _reallllllly_ stupid, and I need to bring something with me as an apology. I don't suppose you remember her breakfast order, do you?" Chuck asked with a smile.

"You do know, one of these days being adorable is not going to get you out of trouble?"

"You'll let me know when, right?" He batted his eyelashes as he spoke.

"The things I do for you," she said, rolling her eyes. She walked off, returning with a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant. Chuck lifted an eyebrow. "Trust me, I'm doing you a solid."

"You're the best," he said, hurrying out.

"I know," she replied. "Thanks, Lou," she said in a deep voice. "You're welcome, Chuck," she replied in her voice. "Would you be so kind as to put it on my account?" she asked in a voice approximating his. "I normally don't, but for you I will."

Chuck was at the door listening to her. "Thank you, Lou," he said sincerely. She waved at him.

"Shoo, go woo the new vet."

"I'm not wooing, I'm saying I'm sorry," Chuck protested.

"Whatever you kids call it now-a-days," Lou replied.

"_We're the same age_!" Chuck reminded her as he went out the door.

She watched him go. "They grow up so fast."

}o{

Chuck got to Sarah's clinic, let the dogs out, and went inside. "Hello," he called out.

Sarah came out wearing jeans and a pink tee shirt, with her hair pulled back. Chuck thrust the bag and the coffee at her. "This is me trying to say I'm sorry for what I did, but more importantly, I would like to be friends with you, as well as professional colleagues." He looked from left to right and leaned forward. "And I think Peaches and Lassie like you better than me."

"Spoiler alert…" she said softly, "…they do." She had twisted her lips to the side, but Chuck saw the grin. She took the coffee, took a sip, and made a slight moaning sound.

"Well, Lou knows how to do you right," Chuck muttered. She tried to give him a flat look over the coffee, but the smile on her face stopped it from happening. She opened the bag and looked in, and her gaze popped back up to Chuck. "We're early, so feel free to eat."

"Come on back," she said, holding the door open.

"Who do you want to see?"

She gave him a look. "Well, both of them, of course."

"What was I thinking?" Chuck muttered.

Sarah looked down at the two dogs. "You two are the brains of the operation, aren't you?" Both dogs barked at her, as if to agree. She looked up at Chuck, a smile on her lips. "If you two will follow me…"

"Wait, I don't get to go back?" Chuck asked. He pulled out an invisible pad, pulled an invisible pencil from behind his ear, licked the end, and mimicked making notes.

"First, are you gonna behave?" Chuck gave a shrug. "Second," she said, waving her hand at him in a circular motion. "What's that all about?"

"I have to give notes to everyone about how you do," Chuck replied.

"I see," Sarah said, studying him. "Are you a tough grader?"

"I'm fair," Chuck replied.

Sarah nodded her head. "That I believe," she said. She stepped to the side and extended her arm towards the back. "If you would be so kind."

"It would be my honor," he said, bowing.

She snorted a laugh. "Dork," she said, watching him go past.

"It's nerd," Chuck corrected. He waited for her to lead the way, bringing up the rear in their little procession. Sarah walked into the examination room, and the two dogs sat on their haunches by the door. She turned and studied the two canines.

"I am Sarah," she said, extending her hand. Two paws came up to shake, making her laugh. "Peaches," she began, after shaking both dog's paw, would you get up here?" She patted the table, and Peaches jumped up on the table. She turned to Chuck. "Not bad, Bartowski, not bad at all."

"Let's be honest… it's them, much more than me."

"At least your honest," she said, the corners of her mouth turned up and her eyes twinkling with laughter.

"Some people don't appreciate my honesty," Chuck said with a shrug.

She gave him a look and went back to checking out Peaches. "Something tells me this is something that… wasn't here, before you left for college?"

"It's been suggested that I am – and I'll use Casey's term here – 'Butthurt', over how I was treated by one Jill Roberts and one Bryce Larkin," Chuck explained.

Sarah was grinning over 'butthurt'. "So, something weird… when I met with the Mayor, he seemed almost… sorry." She glanced at him, but his expression hadn't changed. "Maybe that's the wrong word."

"He really thought I'd be his son-in-law by now," Chuck said softly. He cleared his throat, leaning against the door frame. "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear this."

"No, I don't mind at all," Sarah said. "Someone takes very good care of you."

"Thanks?" Chuck answered. "It's me that does?"

She turned to him, with the flattest look he had ever seen. "I was talking to Peaches."

"Ohhhh," Chuck replied. "That makes a lot of sense." He paused for a moment. "That's also me."

"You take care of people, not just their pets, or livestock," she said softly. "You told him it was okay."

"People deserve the best," Chuck said with a shrug. "Number one ranked vet at the number one ranked vet school, UC Davis…" Chuck trailed off as she turned slowly toward him, one part impressed, one part amused. "There's a story there, or I'll eat Peaches' lunch for the next week."

"Well, we wouldn't want Peaches to go hungry, would we?" she asked, an eyebrow arched. "Dad left mom early on," she said, turning back to Lassie. "Her and I struggled to make it, and we did. But I got it in my head that I knew best."

"Hoo, boy," Chuck said softly.

"You can say that again," Sarah replied. "Here was this good-looking guy, that was interested in me, telling me that the rumors weren't true…"

"If we still had after-school specials this story would be one?" Chuck asked.

Sarah chuckled. "We dated, we did it, and then I found him doing it with someone else. He told me I was getting too serious, too quick. It scared him, and it was my fault."

"To be clear we are talking about, Bryce, right?" Sarah faux glared at him. "Right, Bryce… wait, it was _your_ fault?" Chuck repeated. Sarah nodded. "So, this guy just happens to fall onto other naked women accidentally, while also being naked, because he's scared of commitment?" Sarah snorted as she laughed. "'I didn't mean to have sex with her, but I was nervous, and she was naked.' Why did you leave him alone with these feelings, Sarah?"

"Totally my bad," Sarah agreed, laughing. "When I said he made it sound like my fault, he thought he had made it sound like his fault. He didn't."

"Okay, so how does that get you here, where he is?" Chuck straightened and looked excited. "Ooo, ooo, I know, I know."

"I'm sure you don't," Sarah began.

"You're still in love with him, and you've come to win him back."

She spun, a stethoscope in her hand, pointing at him. "You take that back."

"He is pretty," Chuck teased.

"Chuck," she began.

"Sarah's in love, Sarah's in love," he said in a singsong voice.

"You in love with Jill?" she asked. He sobered quickly. She realized he wasn't in the same place with Jill as she was with Bryce. "Chuck."

"No, you did nothing wrong," he said, leaning back against the doorframe, his arms crossed as if protecting himself. "I deserved that."

"No, you didn't," Sarah insisted.

"You didn't deserve me picking on you like that," Chuck countered.

"I knew I didn't love him, but I thought we could have something, you know?" she said. He just looked to the ground. "You two," she began softly. "You thought you were more, didn't you?"

"Hell, I have no idea," Chuck admitted. He looked up at her. "I mean, while Bryce was terrible with what he did to you, you knew his reputation, right?" Sarah nodded. "I grew up here with her for years, and I never saw… well… _that_," he said, thrusting his hand in the general direction of where he thought Jill was. "She was caring, she went on calls with me. She got down in the mud, and manure."

"That's romantic right there, I don't care who you are," Sarah said. Chuck laughed, and ducked his head. He looked back up at her. "So did you? Did you love her, I mean? Didn't you have to, to be hurt this bad, this long?"

"I think I loved who she was here, but when we got away, she… changed."

Sarah nodded, and went back to checking on the animals. She knew this is where she should say something. She had gotten the moniker "Ice Queen" while at UC Davis, because she put classes first. She wasn't a monk, but keeping a steady boyfriend and getting through school… It just wasn't possible for her, and her romantic life, hell, even her social life, fell victim to it. That was one reason she moved, to change the narrative, and she needed to share that with him. After all, he had shared everything with her.

"I know it's weird to move where your ex-boyfriend is, but I had been so determined to get away from that fast-paced life, the opinions there, that type of guy…"

"I don't think that guy is just in California," Chuck cut in. She grinned at him.

"Probably not, but I wanted a fresh start. I know that sounds strange after everything I did at UC Davis, but… I just wanted away." She hadn't told that as well as she'd hoped, probably from the lack of social skills for the past several years. She started to say more, when Chuck spoke.

"And I want everything here to be okay, because these people saved my life," Chuck said with a shrug.

"How's that life working out?"

"Oh, it's great if you don't mind being in the mud, muck, and manure."

"You sweet-talker you," Sarah replied, and began to laugh, sticking her tongue out between her teeth.

"What can I say, I'm the sweetest… and yet, somehow, I'm single," Chuck said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Here's a crazy idea: Don't take your dates to the mud, muck and manure," Sarah said with a shrug.

"Welp, I'm in trouble, that's my go-to," Chuck replied.

Sarah turned to him and studied him for a second. "Do you ever wish, just for a day, people could live in your brain, see what you see, feel what you feel, understand the emotions you are having to deal with?"

"God, you just may have described my number one fantasy," Chuck said with a longing sigh.

"You need some better fantasies," Sarah replied, making Chuck's eyes go wide. "Okay, I deserved that."

"Sarah," he said softly. "I'm really sorry. I put you in a box you didn't deserve to be in. I made some judgments, but as usual, I did what I do, and that's keep people away." She looked from right to left, as if looking for someone. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for this other Sarah that apparently is in this room with us," she said with a smirk. "Because the guy I met today, he shared a whole lot of stuff, and, buddy, I got news for you: That is not how you keep people away."

He was silent for a minute, and then pushed himself off the door frame and extended his hand toward her. "Chuck Bartowski," he said, softly. "I am the old vet of Sadie, Kentucky."

Sarah took his hand in hers and again felt something, that same electricity from Saturday night, that she hadn't felt in a long time. Chuck looked down at their hands and back at her.

"Sarah Walker," she said softly, searching his eyes. "New vet of Sadie, Kentucky, and hoping the old vet can be a mentor… and maybe a friend."

"I think that can be arranged," he replied, swallowing thickly. "I'll get back to you on the mentor part." He grinned and she released his hand in mock disgust. "Seriously, why would you need a mentor?"

"It's one thing to learn all the knowledge and skills needed to be a vet. But here… here you need to know the people, as well," Sarah replied.

"Well, just be with them, like you were with me, and I think you'll do fine," Chuck replied. She ducked her head from the compliment.

She stood there a moment, studying him. "You sir, take amazing care of your animals."

"I try," he said with a grin. "Now, onto the best part. How much do I owe you?"

"Well, you had the privilege of seeing me," she said, smirking.

"Hell, there's not enough money in the world to compensate for that," Chuck replied. She gave him a flat look.

"Just for that, you are going to show me around, and I mean _everywhere_," Sarah told him, hands on hips.

"Even the old road that the kids go to and park at and make out?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "You did say _everywhere_."

"I'm trying to be professional," Sarah retorted.

"So, do I take you to the next pig birth or not? Because while that is professional, that's where I pitch my best woo."

"Woo?" Sarah asked. "Did you tumble out of a time warp or something?"

"It's Lou's word," Chuck replied. He held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, I'll show you around, and if you need to know where that road is to protect yourself from some young man around here, I'll show you the road… in the daylight."

"And BBQ?" she asked. Chuck drew back. "What?"

"In these parts, taking a single lady to a good BBQ joint is like proposing marriage."

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "That's not how my religion works," she quipped back.

"Fine, you big city folks coming in here with your newfangled ways of doing stuff," Chuck said with a grin.

"Okay, out!" she said, laughing. "I cannot encourage this behavior any longer."

"Enjoy your croissant, and seriously, how much do I owe you?"

She sobered and gave him a grin. "I'm serious as well. However much you think you owe, pay me back by showing me around."

He gave her his own grin. "Well, okay then," he said. "See you around Doc."

"Ahem," she said, as he started to leave. "Give me your cell phone."

Chuck reached in his pocket, pulled it out, but pulled it out of her reach. "Why?"

"Because how are you going to call me when there's something going on that I need to be a part of?"

"Does that include BBQ?" Chuck asked, bending his wrist and handing it to her.

"Uh, yeah," she snorted. "Damn the traditions."

"You are one bold woman," Chuck said softly.

She looked up at him. "Those seriously aren't traditions, right?"

"No," Chuck said shaking his head. "You are asking to hang out with me. I'm not the most engaging person to hang out with."

"I've enjoyed my morning," Sarah retorted. "Besides, it's my choice," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Understood," he said, heading out the door. "See ya… Sarah," and with that, he and the dogs were gone. Sarah watched him go.

"This could be fun," she said with a grin. Twenty-four hours later, she wouldn't find it fun at all.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter…I do something that may throw you, but I ask you keep an open mind. I have a plan, a long term plan. I hope you're okay with that. Want a peak? Okay.

_She found an old abandoned barn, and while she thought about the horror film commercial about being in stupid places, she thought maybe she could find something in there to defend herself with. She headed in, making sure to see a back exit in case things got bad and started searching in the dark to find something, anything, to protect herself with. Another shot rang out, and this time, wood from the barn rained down from above her. She turned to head toward the back door, when her foot caught on an old feed trough. She landed with her leg, hitting the trough and she tried to catch herself with her hands. Pain shot out of her leg, her wrist was hurting, and she felt her hand swelling up. She tried to push herself up. She couldn't but she wasn't going out like this. She rolled over, and stared at her attacker._

"_Alwaysss damn sssnakesss," the man hissed. He raised the gun toward her._


	5. Ch 5, Killer on the Loose

A/N: Not much to say here. Things change….a lot.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

That evening started out like any normal evening, until Morgan showed up, a pizza and a 2-liter grape soda in hand. "Dude, we haven't done this in forever… what do you say?" Chuck nodded at his friend and started to head outside with him to eat on the porch. Morgan stopped him, holding up his hand. "My friend, you need to turn that phone off for tonight. There is another vet in town."

Chuck pulled his phone out and looked at it. It had been a long time since he had sat outside; no worries, no outside world, just him and his bearded buddy, enjoying each other's company. Chuck turned the phone off and smiled at his friend.

When he looked back later, this was the catalyst of everything that went wrong.

}o{

"Yes, Miss Clark, I hear you. There is something out by your chicken coop scaring the chickens. Yes, Miss Clark, I know your neighbor is the mayor. I need to make a phone call and bring someone with me. Well, not that it's any of your business, but we've had some strange doings over your way, and I want to bring the vet." He paused. "Yes, Miss Clark, I do know the mayor is your neighbor, but that doesn't seem to stop you from being a busybody." Big Mike looked at the phone as the dial tone came over it. "I do not like that woman."

"Want me to call Buttinski, Big Mike?" Lester asked.

"We should call the new vet instead," Emmitt rebutted.

"Chuck's cell goes straight to voicemail, boss," Jeff told Big Mike. "Miss Walker says she'll go. I warned her about zombies, but she said she's had her shots. Can you get zombie shots?"

"Son, for the last time… IT'S! NOT! ZOMBIES!" Big Mike yelled. He grabbed his hat and headed toward Sarah's apartment to pick her up.

}o{

"Something broke these chickens' necks, and then… well…."

"Go on doc, what?" Big Mike asked, surveying the destruction near the chicken coop. Something had knocked it over, and at least five chickens were dead. Blood was everywhere, and some of the animals had injuries besides their neck being broken.

"It looks like something tried to eat them, and the teeth marks…" She paused and looked at Big Mike. If she told him what she was seeing, he'd accuse her of being out of her mind, or drunk, or… well… who knew what.

"Doc, just tell me," Big Mike said, starting to sound irritated.

"It looks like the bite marks are human." Big Mike stared at Sarah.

"Say that again?"

"These bite marks-" she began.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. Jeff cannot be right," Big Mike said. He had taken off his hat, and was now running his hand over his head. "This is not happening."

"What are you talking about?" Sarah asked. "If you have information that can help me figure…" and she thrust her hands toward the slaughter "…this out, then, please, tell me."

Big Mike looked around, saw Miss Clark by her house, and moved closer to Sarah. "Jeff said they were zombies."

Sarah didn't burst into laughter. In fact, she looked irritated. "If you don't want to tell me, fine, but don't ask me to come with you, just to mock-"

A scream interrupted her scolding Big Mike. They both turned around and Miss Clark was pointing towards the woods. "There! It's in there!"

"What is?" Big Mike asked.

"A monster!"

"There are no monsters," Sarah said, irritated, and headed toward where Miss Clark had pointed.

"What is she doing?" Big Mike asked.

"Shouldn't you be following her?" Miss Clark asked. Big Mike glared at her.

He pulled up his gun belt and stalked after Sarah. "Doc! Where are you?" He followed her trail through the woods and quickly caught up with Sarah, who was squatted down, looking at something. "What are you doing?"

"Someone, or some_thing_, has gone this way," she said, pointing toward the torn brush. "There are blood drops here and here," she said pointing.

"Damn, you're good," Big Mike said. Sarah smiled at him.

She stood up. "Let's go," she said, and took off.

"Has anyone told her _I'm_ the one with a gun?" he muttered.

They followed the trail through the woods, and finally came to a clearing where the trail seemed to end. "Where did it go?" she muttered.

"Okay, Doc, now wha-" Big Mike stopped mid-sentence, and his face paled. Sarah spun around and saw a huge lumbering man standing there. "Damn it, he looks like a zombie," Big Mike muttered.

His clothes were tattered, there was a definite smell coming from him; one part that he hadn't bathed, and one part… well, sickness. Sarah had smelled it before on animals when they were infected. It was a foul smell. He looked deranged… crazy… and when she looked into his eyes, she really didn't think anything was staring back at her.

"Okay, Graham, stop right there," Big Mike said, drawing his gun, his hand shaking. Graham moved more quickly than he should have, Sarah thought. He hit Big Mike with a clubbing blow. "RUN!" Big Mike yelled. Graham turned and watched her running off, then he saw it: Big Mike's gun. He lumbered over and picked it up. Big Mike shut his eyes and prepared for his end. When nothing happened after a minute, he opened his eyes, and saw Graham, or whatever was left of the man, was gone. He jumped up and ran back to his car. Shouting into his radio, he ordered his deputies to get Casey and Chuck. Big Mike prayed he wasn't too late.

}o{

Chuck and Morgan were sitting there shooting the breeze when Casey pulled up, barely putting his truck in park before jumping out and heading towards the two. "Bartowski!"

"Who's having what animal?" Chuck asked, tired and really not wanting to deliver tonight. Maybe he could call Sarah and see if she wanted to assist.

"Dumbass, where's your phone?" Casey asked. Chuck noticed as he walked toward the light, Casey was pale… dare he say… frightened? "Big Mike has been trying to get ahold of you all night. They have a lead on that animal, he and Walker are out there, something bad is going on!"

Just as he finished speaking, they heard a vehicle coming down the road at breakneck speed. Big Mike's cruiser pulled in. "I need help!" he yelled. "It's got my gun, and the vet's out there by herself!" Chuck grabbed his rifle, ran across the yard, slid across the hood of Big Mike's vehicle and hopped in the passenger side.

"GO!" Chuck yelled. Big Mike backed the car off, put it in drive, and took off to find Sarah, with Morgan and Casey following behind.

}o{

Sarah was running through the bushes, trying to get away from… well, whatever that thing was. Dear God, had she moved to Kentucky just to die like some extra in a horror movie? Whatever it was, it wasn't moving well. It appeared to be a man, and what had Big Mike called it… or him? Graham? Whatever it was, she could hear it crashing behind her. She was going to die in the woods, this was awful. Why had she ever come to this God-forsaken place?

}o{

Big Mike stopped the car, put it in park, and got out, Chuck following. Morgan and Casey had gone on further down into the bottoms, to search there for Sarah and Graham.

"Which way?" Chuck asked. They heard a shot ring out, and Chuck didn't ask any more questions. He simply ran in the direction of the gunshot. That's when he heard a scream, and he ran faster than he ever had before.

}o{

A gunshot came from behind her, and she fell to her knees. She knew in her mind that the shot it had taken had clearly gone past her, but her body had just reacted. She picked herself up the best she could, when something hit the ground near her. He was throwing things at her.

She knew she shouldn't. She knew all it would do is help him figure out where she was. But she was so scared, and it came out of her before she knew what to do. She screamed.

And while she was right – it did help Graham, or the bog monster, or even a damn zombie, if that's what it really was coming after her – it reminded her of who _she_ was. She was Sarah Freaking Walker, and there wasn't a problem she couldn't deal with, given enough time. She took off running again, this time stumbling less, and trying to continue to put distance between her and whatever it was chasing her.

She found an old abandoned barn, and while she thought about the horror film insurance commercial about being in stupid places, she thought maybe she could find something in there to defend herself with. She headed in, making sure to see a back exit in case things went south. and started searching in the dark to find something, anything, to use in self-defense. Another shot rang out, and this time, wood from the barn rained down from above her. She turned to head toward the back door when her foot caught on an old feed trough. She landed with her leg hitting the trough, and she tried to catch herself with her hands. Pain shot through her leg, her wrist was hurting, and she felt her hand swelling up. She tried to push herself up unsuccessfully. She wasn't going out like this, though. She rolled over and stared at her attacker.

"Alwaysss damn sssnakesss," the man hissed. He raised the gun toward her.

}o{

Chuck ran through the woods as fast as he could. From the sound of the gunshot, they had to be close to Graham's old barn. He came through the woods and saw, off in the clearing, Graham shooting at something in the barn. Chuck ran as fast as he could, as Graham entered the barn. He knew he was a good shot, but was he good enough? Could he shoot a man… hell, could he _kill_ a man?

Chuck silenced his inner fears. Graham was literally the walking dead. Only fourteen people had ever survived rabies, and there was no doubt now that's what was wrong with him. Something had bitten him, probably his dog or some other wild animal. It was rare, but people had been known to try and eat others when affected with rabies. His brain was burnt toast; there was no telling what he saw, looking at Sarah. And having a gun? That was absolutely asking for it.

He could see in the barn. Graham was muttering something; what, Chuck couldn't make out. Chuck stopped, aimed the rifle, and said a quick prayer. He saw Graham raise his arm, pointing the pistol. In an instant, Chuck resigned himself to what he had to do, refined his sight picture, took a breath and let it out slowly as he pulled the trigger.

A second later a scream came from the barn.

}o{

Sarah heard a loud crack, and then there was something all over her that was… wet. She looked up at Graham. He was teetering, and he had a hole where his forehead used to be. He fell forward, and she couldn't help herself… she screamed. She kept screaming, even as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and pick her up. She quit screaming and began to cry, as she laid her head on whatever was carrying her. She heard a gentle voice say, "It's okay, you're safe," over and over and over.

She was scared, she was covered in blood and brain matter, but she also knew those words were true. She knew the person carrying her was telling the truth. She looked up. "Chuck," she said softly.

"I thought I was supposed to be showing you around?" he asked with a sad smile. Tears welled up again. "Hey, it's okay, you're safe and we're gonna get you to the hospital."

"Can you come with me?" she asked.

"Depends on Big Mike," Chuck replied. He carried her out the rest of the way, thankful for all the years of working with larger animals, giving him the strength to carry her.

"Son, are you okay?" Big Mike asked as he saw him.

"I am. She's hurt, but he didn't get her," Chuck told Big Mike. "I killed him, Big Mike. I shot him before he could kill Sarah."

"I'm gonna need your clothes, son," he said softly.

"Take her to the hospital, and you can have them," Chuck said. Big Mike nodded, and helped him get Sarah into the car. Chuck crawled in beside her, and Big Mike flipped on lights and siren as they headed to Owensboro.

}o{

There was a knock on the door of her hospital room. "Come in," she said, feeling restless. The door opened, and she saw Chuck standing in the alcove, wearing scrubs. "Chuck, please, come in." She watched him walk in, his head down, a depressed look on his face. "How are you?"

"Me?" he asked, almost in shock. "I'm fine." He shook his head. "How are you? I never got a chance to ask, did he… bite you? I know it's almost impossible to get rabies from a human, but-"

"Chuck," she broke in. "You're spiraling."

"I am, I know." He stood there looking lost. He glanced over to the two chairs.

"Please, sit down," Sarah said. He sat, and part of her wondered how just how 'okay' he was. She had ridden beside him in the car to the hospital. As the fog began to lift and she started to realize what was going on, she realized he was holding her.

He had softly stroked her arm, mumbling "It's gonna be okay." She had clutched at his shirt and began to cry again, mad at herself for the emotion running through her, when he surprised her again. "Let it out," he'd said softly. "Don't bottle it up, it will eat you alive."

She had held on and cried and cried and by the time she got to the hospital, she'd felt okay. A nurse took her quickly, needing her clothes for evidence, and after a check-up, they had allowed her to shower. She'd noticed Chuck was always nearby, but the sheriff had been constantly talking to him.

"Are you in trouble?" Sarah asked.

Chuck lifted his head, his eyes… haunted. He shook his head. "No, but they'll want to talk to you at some point…" he trailed off.

"They already have. I told them everything I knew, even his weird… words he said to me." Chuck sat there, almost non-responsive. "He was slurring his esses, but it was something like, 'always damn snakes.'" Chuck's eyes immediately focused on her, and he began to laugh. "What?"

"Sorry, it's the situation or whatever, but… Graham was always worried snakes were going to bite him, so one year he burnt all the grass around his house," Chuck explained. "So in his rabies-fueled mind, he may have seen you as a snake."

"Oh my God," she said, exasperated, lying back against the pillow. "That poor man, he must have been miserable."

"I can't imagine what he was going through," Chuck said softly.

"You did him a favor," Sarah said. Chuck's features showed he wasn't following her. "By shooting him, you probably put him out of his misery."

She looked down at her hands as they played with her sheets. "Thank you," she said softly. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "Thank you."

"I'd say, anytime, but I'd rather we didn't find ourselves in that kind of situation again."

She gave him a sad smile. "Are you okay?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I-"

"Bartowski," Big Mike said softly. "I'm heading back now, are you staying here?"

"He is free, right, Sheriff?" Sarah asked.

"Absolutely. I've already talked to everyone I need to. Chuck's action was a justifiable homicide, and the tests just came back – Graham had rabies."

"Do you mind staying?" Sarah asked Chuck, almost timidly.

"Mike, can you make sure my house is locked up?" Chuck asked.

"Pretty sure Grimes took care of it," Big Mike replied. "Your phone still at home?" Chuck nodded with a grin. "You two get some sleep, we'll get some folks up here tomorrow to take you home, okay?" With that, he left.

"Thanks, Chuck," Sarah said.

"Well, now I can begin my job," Chuck announced. Sarah raised an eyebrow. "This is the Owensboro Regional Health Center." She shut her eyes, and couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. Chuck smiled, but it never touched his eyes. This didn't go unnoticed by Sarah. She blamed herself for this, and she was gonna fix it… tomorrow. Because right now, she had to get to the point she could shut her eyes and not see Graham looming over her.

* * *

A/N: So, let's remember a few things here: One, Sarah never had any training like in the show. Two, Chuck is a doctor and knows what rabies does to the human mind. Three, there is some belief that the zombie idea did come from witnessing actual humans with rabies. Four, Graham is played by Tony Todd, who was in both Candyman, Voodoo Dawn, AND Night of the Living Dead (1990 version). Five, still got a story, still got a romance, and still got ideas for this one. Any complaints, send them to Joe Watkins. No, don't do that… (do it.)


	6. Ch 6, The Day After

A/N: I know I shook a few of you with that last chapter. I know you weren't expecting it, but while I know you guys enjoy my fluff, I also wanted this to be something more. I'm not saying there won't be fluff, but as one of my prereaders said, this is more romance. I've been spreading my wings here and there. Don't worry, it's getting close to Christmas and you know I'll get fluffy then. So now what? Most of you think Chuck's upset. That is correct. Most of you think it's because he took a life….not exactly. (He's not doing the Fortnite flossing dance over it or anything) So let's check in on these two and where they are right now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

"Ahem," the voice came, waking the two of them. During the night, Sarah had nightmares. Chuck moved his chair closer, so he could take her hand and talk to her softly until she fell asleep. Sarah looked down at her hand in his, and then back up at the doctor in front of her… a doctor she recognized.

"Ellie?" Sarah asked, hoping that was Chuck's sister's name. She was still having trouble thinking straight after the past twelve hours.

"Are you okay?" Ellie asked, a softness in her eyes and voice, with a warmth that made Sarah feel like family.

"Yeah, because of him," Sarah replied, and they started again. The damn tears. She had never been so scared in her life. What she had gone through had shaken her to the core. "I'm sorry, I'm-"

"No, don't you dare apologize," Ellie said, and Sarah looked up at her. "If you want to cry after that event, then you cry. Good God, Sarah, I can't even imagine."

"It was straight out of a horror movie, Ellie," Sarah said, shaking her head. "If Chuck hadn't shown up…" She couldn't finish that sentence.

"He did," Ellie said. She looked down at their hands still gripping the other. "I suspect he always will." Sarah's eyes went wide. "Morgan will be furious, because now _you_ are Chewbacca, and owe him a Wookie life debt."

"Knew you were paying attention all those years, sis," Chuck said, opening his eyes and smacking his lips. "But can we not tell Morgan? If we do, then he will think he's Leia, and that makes the heterosexual life partners thing a little too much."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Sarah asked, amused.

"Doesn't matter," Chuck said, standing. "You're not thinking about what happened, so that's all that matters." He started to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Ellie asked.

"Little boy's room, and to give you two some alone time," Chuck said. "You know, doctor-patient privilege, and all that."

"Don't leave," she said softly.

"Well, can I use your…" he trailed off, pointing to the restroom that was inside the room. She rolled her eyes and he went in.

"Okay… so are you okay, like mentally?" Ellie asked.

Sarah shrugged. "I mean, I think I'm doing pretty good considering a man, crazed with rabies, was chasing me, wanting to kill me because he thought I was a snake. At least I _think_ that's why… who knows?"

"Graham was different," Ellie agreed. "Did he ever touch you at all?"

"No," Sarah replied, shaking her head. "My injuries were from falling, in several places."

"What about him?" Ellie asked. "He killed a man. Is that… weighing on him?"

"I don't know," Sarah admitted. "It's all been… it's been a bit much." The door opened, and Chuck came out. Both looked at him.

"What?" he asked. "I washed my hands."

"Ellie's worried about you," Sarah told him.

"I killed a man," Chuck stated.

"Chuck," Ellie began.

"No, let me finish," Chuck said. Ellie nodded and sat there, ready to jump in. Chuck kept watching her, not speaking until she relaxed. He started to talk, and then paused, looking at her.

"Charles Irving Bartowski," she said.

"Okay, got it, went too far," Chuck said, pressing his lips together. Both women laughed.

"I killed a man. A man who had rabies. A man whose brain was basically frying itself because of a disease. A man who was in pain, and suffering, and chances are I did him a favor. But at the end of the day, I did take a life, and it is bothering me a little. But I'd do it again in a minute to keep you safe, Sarah."

"And Casey, and Morgan, and anyone, wouldn't you, Chuck?" Ellie asked. Chuck nodded somberly.

"Thank you, Chuck," Sarah said with a sad smile. "I'm sorry what you had to do-"

"No, don't you be sorry," Chuck said. There was something on his face… was it guilt? She didn't understand, he didn't act like he felt guilty for killing Graham. "You were in a no-win situation, a situation no one could have imagined."

He stopped as another doctor walked in and examined Sarah. "I think it's time you go home, everything has come back fine on you."

"Can I go to work?" Sarah asked.

"You do whatever you need to get yourself through things," the doctor replied. "You've had a unique ordeal that I don't think many people could ever understand."

"Aw crap," Chuck muttered.

"What?" Sarah asked.

"What the doc just said about people not understanding," Chuck began and turned toward Sarah, a small smile playing across his face. "You're supposed to see Jill today."

Sarah groaned and put her face in her hands.

}o{

Chuck had headed to Miss Clark's after they had returned to town, in part hoping to avoid Jill. He had no such luck. Sarah's new receptionist, Daphne Paralta, had explained how Sarah had nearly died the previous night. Jill was stunned that Sarah had returned to work. She even commented, loudly so that Chuck could hear, about Sarah's dedication to her appointments. That's when he said he was sure he heard a cow lowing somewhere needing help, and left. As soon as he left, it dawned on Jill what he was hinting at.

He went to Miss Clark's and helped her clean up the mess that Graham had caused, leaving quickly when he was through. He called Big Mike to see if he needed anything else from him. Big Mike told him he was clear and had nothing to worry about. Chuck asked him if he could see all the police reports of cattle mutilation in the past three months, and Big Mike promised him he could.

He was greeted by Alex as he walked into his own clinic. "Hey, Alex, I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything, boss," she said. "Just as long as it's not going to interfere with my school work, or boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Chuck asked with a grin. "Your dad know about that?"

"That we're official?" Alex replied, smirking. "I don't think he officially knows."

"Casey will have a conniption," Chuck replied, chuckling. "I'd like you to call over to Sarah's clinic and see if they'll take all the appointments for the week. And if you could not let Sarah know, I'd appreciate it."

"What are you doing, Chuck?" Alex asked, a tinge of exasperation in her voice.

"She had the absolute shit scared out of her, Alex," Chuck replied. "I'm trying to keep her mind off what happened, and it's not like we can't use the down time."

"One condition," Alex replied. "You go home as well, and I'll call you if anyone needs you." Chuck blanched a little at that but didn't protest. "Something wrong?"

"Why don't you or your mom take Major to Sarah as well, make sure I didn't miss something?" Chuck said.

"Chuck-"

He threw his hands up. "Look, I've been a little off my game. Another eye wouldn't hurt, also she _is_ the number one vet from the number one vet school in the US."

"She's not you," Alex said warmly.

"Yeah, and she's lucky she's not. She deserves better than that," Chuck said, turned, and left. Alex watched him go, too stunned to say anything.

"What the hell happened out there?" Alex asked the empty lobby.

}o{

All day Tuesday and Wednesday, Sarah could not believe how busy she was. It seemed everyone who needed anything was coming to her. She wasn't complaining at all, but after weeks of not doing a lot, she was exhausted after two full days of work. She slept fairly well, only having dreams once each night of Graham. Luckily it was in the morning, so she ended up getting up an hour to an hour and a half earlier than she wanted, but there was no way she could go back to sleep. She found herself at Lou's Thursday morning just as it opened.

"Morning, Sarah," Lou greeted her. "Didn't know you were this early of a riser."

"Normally not," Sarah admitted. "But, I've been having trouble sleeping." Lou gave her a look and Sarah made a bit of a face. Lou decided to pass on that subject, for now.

"Hey, did something go wrong between you and Chuck?" Lou asked, pouring Sarah a cup of coffee.

"What?" Sarah replied, rubbing her hand behind her neck and trying to comprehend what Lou was asking.

"Oh, come on," Lou said. "We all know he is smitten with you."

"Smitten?"

"Smitten," Lou replied. A slow smile played on Sarah's lips. "You like that he's smitten."

"I do," Sarah admitted with a small shrug. "What can I say, he's different. He's a good guy."

"He saved your life," Lou said softly.

"He did," Sarah admitted, her eyes tearing up. "But not just that." She paused and looked at Lou. "Maybe you don't want to hear this."

"What, me?" Lou asked, laughing. "Girl, I'm not it for him. He doesn't even notice me like that." Sarah started to retort, but Lou held her hands up. "Okay, he notices me, but not enough to do something about it."

"Okay, but this stays between me and you, okay?" Lou nodded. "After it was over, I was just a wreck. This guy had tried to kill me, and I consider myself a strong woman, but when you're lying on your back, and a guy, who you can see in his eyes is crazy, is about to point a gun at you…"

"_If_ you for one second tell me you weren't strong because you cried, or felt scared, I will kick your fine ass," Lou said, making Sarah's eyes widen. "We get to feel emotions, Sarah. You went through something I'm pretty sure no one else in this town will ever understand."

"He did," Sarah said softly. "Not know exactly what I went through, of course, but he carried me, and all I did was sob against him."

"Hell, who wouldn't?" Lou asked. She leaned in. "He's always wearing those shirts, so I never can tell…"

Sarah grinned at her. Lou raised her hand, and the two high-fived. "So, he gets me into the car. Instead of going up front, he sits beside me, holding me, telling me to get it all out. And I've never felt… safer."

Lou looked like she could melt. "We talking around the shoulder?"

"No, behind my back, pulling me against him, head on his shoulder, soft kisses to my head, hand rubbing my arm or hair."

"Why are you here, and not with him?" Lou asked.

"Lou, we've only known each other a few days," Sarah said. Lou gave her a flat look. "Fine, I've also been extremely busy and have just been exhausted each night."

"Really?" Lou asked. "You already have that much business?"

"Yeah, I mean I'm not looking a gift horse… or in this case dogs or cats, in the mouth," Sarah replied. Lou stood there, thinking.

"You want your usual?" she asked. Sarah nodded. Lou walked to the back and came back a minute later with Sarah's breakfast. Lou slid in the booth across from her. "Chuck's been at the sheriff's office the past two days, all day."

"Is he in trouble?" Sarah asked.

"No," Lou replied. "Lester and Emmitt would be over here singing showtunes if that were the case." Sarah snorted at that. "He's going through files, they don't know which ones."

"Hmm," Sarah replied. "Maybe I'll ask him tonight."

"You do that," Lou replied. "And I want details. The hotter the better."

"You're a… I want to say 'voyeur', but that's the wrong word."

"What can I say?" Lou said, shrugging. "I knew that guy was gold. Too bad Jill destroyed him, and he finds himself not worthy."

"Not worthy?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, he and Morgan were going on and on one day about the new female Thor, and Chuck said he's the current male Thor. He's not worthy," Lou explained with a shrug.

"Wonder what that means?" Sarah asked.

"He's not able to pick up the hammer. Now, what in the hell 'the hammer' is, you got me."

"Mjolnir," Sarah replied. "Only those that are deemed worthy may lift it." Lou stared at her. "What?"

"You may make that boy's brain explode," Lou replied with a grin. Sarah had her own grin, and the more she thought about asking Chuck to show her around, the bigger the grin got.

}o{

"Daphne, do I have anyone for the next little bit?" Sarah asked, finishing the notes for the file on which she was working.

"Nope, nothing for at least an hour," Daphne replied, giving Sarah a smile.

"Okay, I'm gonna be in my office if you need me," she said, and headed toward the back. She stared at the phone. "He's already offered," she told herself. "What's the big deal?" She picked up the handset and made the call. After one ring, he answered.

"Sarah," he said, sounding frantic. "You okay?"

"Yeah, is something wrong?" she asked.

"No. No, no, everything's okay here, I just… well, you know the last time you called, well, Big Mike called…"

"Chuck, it's fine," Sarah replied. "I was just interested in being shown around town and the surrounding area."

"Uh, listen, I'd love to, but I am crazy busy right now," Chuck replied. Something in her hurt at that. Something stung that she didn't even know existed in her anymore. "Let me get caught up this week, and maybe next, okay?"

"Oh, yeah, sure, whenever is convenient for you," Sarah replied.

"Hey, I hate to go, but I really need to," Chuck told her.

"I get it… bye, Chuck," she said. The phone was silent. She stared at it in her hand, sighed, and hung up.

She heard the phone ring up front, realized how well sound carried in the office, and that made her think. Something wasn't adding up. She got up and moved to the front.

}o{

Chuck had his eyes shut, the phone on his table, and his controller on pause. There was no emergency; he was not busy. In fact, he was starting to become bored, hence gaming in the middle of the day. The guilt he felt over her being attacked was killing him. Not having his phone on was the catalyst for her being attacked.

Maybe Jill was right. Maybe he wasn't enough for anyone. He couldn't leave his phone on for someone to call. It was an emergency, the exact reason he had the stupid cell phone. To be available at all times. He had turned it off, to what? Have pizza and drink grape soda? Who the hell does that? Not a responsible adult, not someone who was thinking of asking out the number one vet from the number one vet school in America.

Jill was right to leave him. Ellie and Awesome were right to leave this town. He buried his face in his hands and let the guilt wash over him, and drape across his shoulders.

}o{

"Daphne," Sarah said, coming into the front room. "The past couple of days, we've had a lot of clients, but very few phone calls."

"We wouldn't," Daphne said. "They all came from the lady doc over at the Bidinski place."

"You mean, Bartowski?" Sarah asked.

"Sure," Daphne said with a shrug. "She called over said there were issues, and would we mind taking these clients. She called everyone and had them come here."

"I see," Sarah said. "I think I need to have the rest of my appointments rescheduled for the rest of the day."

"Oh, you can't, the lady doc's bringing over her dog," Daphne said. "She and Brucstroski want you to give it another look see. They think it got into a fight with something with rabies, but all the tests have come back negative."

"Bartowski," Sarah said. "You know what-" the door opened saving Sarah from having to deal with Daphne.

"Hi, I'm Alex," the new arrival said with a smile. "You must be Sarah Walker. Major's outside." Sarah followed Alex outside. "He doesn't have rabies," Alex said as they got close to her truck.

"How do you know?" Sarah asked.

"Because Chuck and I ran the tests so many times," Alex replied. "I don't know what happened out there, but he's messed up."

"I just talked to him, he said he had a lot going on," Sarah said, leaning against Alex's truck.

"He's playing video games, is what he's doing," Alex explained. "In fact, I haven't seen him like this since… well… since he came back sans Jill."

"Okay, there's something I have to know. If Jill is _soooo_ amazing," Sarah said, rolling her eyes, "then, _why_ is she here? She was supposedly tired of the small town." As Sarah talked, Alex's smile grew. "She left one of the greatest guys I've ever met in my life, for a guy who's so in love with himself, I'm not sure if he can love someone else."

"You know Bryce?" Alex asked.

"Chuck didn't tell you?" Sarah asked in surprise. "Huh… yeah, I dated… well, _I_ dated, I don't know what he was doing." Alex snorted. "In high school. It was a disaster."

"Intriguing," Alex replied. "Jill is the mayor's daughter. She thinks she's something. Spoiler alert: she's not." Sarah laughed. "My dog is fine, I've run all the tests, twice. The patient you need to be with is Chuck. Like I said, I don't know what happened-"

"He killed a man," Sarah said softly.

"No… I mean, he did, but that's not what this is about," Alex replied. She took a deep breath. "He said you deserve better." Sarah was confused. "Implying him." Alex waited for Sarah to speak, but had little patience. "Are you two… together?"

"No," Sarah replied. "I mean… no. He saved my life, and carried me out of there. Held me all the way to the hospital, sat in the chair across from me the whole night."

"Oh, God, he's toast," Alex said, smiling. "Why were you there that night, and not him?"

"All I was told was his phone kept going straight to voicemail," Sarah said with a shrug.

Alex closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She blew out a breath and opened them. "Okay, you have to go over there later tonight. He thinks he's the… I don't know, watcher of this town, that he must stand vigilant. My guess is Morgan went over there with pizza, and he turned his phone off to have a little guy-time."

"Why is that a big deal? Why can't he do that?" Sarah asked.

"How the hell would I know?" Alex replied. "It's his screwed-up views. Guy's got his own set of rules about honor, that I think the monks that gave them to him lost." Sarah snorted.

"I gotta get my things, and tell Daphne I'm gone the rest of the day," Sarah told her, walking toward the clinic.

"Don't go now, you have patients," Alex insisted.

"I have one other scheduled," Sarah replied. "This is more important."

"You've got it bad," Alex called after her. Sarah ignored her as Alex grinned. "I think someone's falling bad," she said to Major, who just barked.

* * *

A/N: Next time, Sarah talks to Chuck. That won't go bad, right? Wanna peak?

"_But, then you go and do these things that…are insanely heroic, and you took care of me at one of my lowest points in my life, so what is it, Chuck? Are you that guy who's there for the big stuff, but the everyday stuff you can't handle?"_

_"Now, wait," he began._

"_Or, are you so damn scared of….whatever that you can't function like a rational adult?"_

"_Hey," Chuck retorted._

"_Oh, did I hurt your feelings? I am so sorry," she said. Her tone conveyed exactly how NOT sorry she was. "I spoke the truth to you, and you don't like the truth?"_

Oh….well…..that's not going so well….see you next time.


	7. Ch 7, Healing

A/N: What's a Chuck story without Chuck having some type of crippling doubt (I swear one day I'm going to write a story he has none, I can't even imagine what that is going to look like). Sarah is pissed, but she's fallen for the guy so you probably have a general idea how this will turn out, but let's find out.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

Chuck was on the couch, dressed in lounge pants, and nothing else. It was hot outside, he wasn't working, he lived alone, so he was gonna be comfortable. He looked up at the electronic thermometer, where he saw the numbers 90 and 85. Blinking, he couldn't tell if it was 85 degrees outside or if that was the humidity… either way, whatever was 85 the other was 90, and it was air you could wear. There was a knock on the door and he paused his game.

"Morgan, you should be at work and not taking time off with me to… game?" he said as he opened the door, seeing Sarah standing there.

"Crazy busy, huh? Just finished, came out of the shower, and forgot your shirt?" Sarah asked, a smirk on her face.

"Ack!" Chuck replied, and ran off down the hall.

"Don't go on my account," Sarah called after him, letting herself in. She shut the door and had a seat in the chair next to the couch. Chuck came back, pulling on a t-shirt. "Really, you didn't have to, I know you're crazy busy-"

"Okay, I wasn't," he began.

"You know what I don't get?" Sarah asked, and then continued before he could speak. "Twice you've told me some crazy story, and it almost makes me think you just don't want to be around me."

"Sarah-" he tried to interject, but she continued again like he wasn't even there.

"But, then you go and do these things that are… insanely heroic, and you took care of me at one of the lowest points in my life. So, what is it, Chuck? Are you that guy who's there for the big stuff, but the everyday stuff you can't handle?"

"Now, wait," he began.

"Or, are you so damn scared of… whatever, that you can't function like a rational adult?"

"Hey," Chuck retorted.

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings? I am _so_ sorry," she said. Her tone conveyed exactly how _not_ sorry she was. "I spoke the truth to you, and you don't like the truth?"

"You don't understand," he said, trying to begin again.

"You're damn right I don't," she said, slamming her hand onto the table, causing Chuck to flinch. "Because you won't tell me."

"It's my fault you were attacked by Graham," Chuck said softly. "I figured if you knew the truth you'd hate me as much I as I do."

"You told Graham to pull the trigger?" Sarah asked.

"No," Chuck replied.

"You told him to contract rabies… wait, you got an animal with rabies to bite him?"

"What? No," Chuck replied, confusion setting in on his face.

"Oh, oh, I got it: You _injected_ him with the rabies virus, somewhere on his body!" she said, pointing her finger in triumph.

"What? That's ridiculous," Chuck responded.

"Well, so is thinking this is all your fault." Chuck looked down at ground. Sarah huffed. "Okay, fine… what did you do that was _sooo_ bad, and caused me to nearly get murdered by Graham?"

Chuck jerked his head up, and looked as though he had been smacked in the face.

"I turned my phone off," Chuck said softly. Sarah stared at him, as if waiting for more. "The night you were attacked, I turned my phone off."

"So, you knew I was being attacked, and you turned your phone off?"

"What? No," he said again, exasperation setting in. "Morgan came over, we had a guys' night, and… and I turned my phone off, figuring you could handle any emergency."

"And I failed?"

"NO!" Chuck said, quickly. "_You_ didn't fail."

"Sure seems like it, if you can't turn off your phone, and if you do, _this_," she said, waving her hand at him, "is the result."

"Sarah, you don't understand. I wasn't available, and if I had been, I could have been there."

Sarah sat for a moment, and then looked around. "Can I see it?"

"See what?" Chuck asked, extremely confused.

"The contract you signed, saying you have to watch over this town, and be my bodyguard," Sarah said, never breaking eye contact.

"That's preposterous, no one would do something like that!"

"Well you're certainly acting like you did!"

Chuck sat back. Sarah got up from the chair, and sat down right beside Chuck. "You saved my life, and it's not your fault I was in that situation. Are we clear on that? Because if we aren't, I am going to stay right here until I convince you otherwise." Not a foot separated their faces. Chuck nodded slowly. "I don't believe you."

"Sarah… I'm just not worth-"

She grabbed his lips in her fingers, mid-word, making his eyes go wide. "Bullshit," she snapped. "Someone 'not worthy'? You carried me out of that field, buddy. I was falling apart, and you held me and let me get it all out. You gave me a safe, secure place. Chuck, you're a gift, and I do not know why that idiot you dated left you, but I know she is an idiot. I can honestly say I feel more for you than I ever did for that pretty boy she's with."

"You don't understand," he said almost pleadingly. "This town saved me, it helped raise me after my parents died."

"It did," Sarah said, putting an arm around his shoulders, and pulling him towards her. "But you don't owe them every second of every day."

"I feel I do," Chuck said with a shrug.

"Fine, then I guess I'm going to have to move in here with you until I settle my debt." Chuck's eyes went wide. "Well, isn't that how the life-debt works?"

"Sarah, that's ridicu… lous," he said trailing off. He turned towards her, their faces inches apart. Her head was slightly cocked to the side, with a look that said _try me_.

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"Okay, you were right, I was wrong, and I've been an ass to you yet again."

"No, you haven't," she said, squeezing him with her arm. "You made a mistake that's actually somewhat understandable, but bub, do it one more time…"

Chuck gulped. "Yes ma'am."

"Now… have you had lunch?"

}o{

She sat across from him at Lou's, shaking her head. "What?" he asked.

"You," she said. "Here you're an uber-successful vet, and yet, you're an overgrown child," she replied, grinning.

Chuck attempted to look hurt. "I hadn't had a chance to go shopping yet."

"I was at the grocery store when you were, remember? The melons?"

Chuck turned red. "Uh, I swear that wasn't-"

He stopped talking when her hand landed on his. "Chuck, I'm not upset. Wasn't then, and I am not now." Chuck nodded.

"I'm going to make you a deal." She locked eyes with him. "We both need assistance, and I think we can each help the other. You said you'd show me around." Chuck nodded. "Then I am going to listen to your story… all of it, however you have to tell it. We're going to figure out why you think you're something that you're obviously not."

"Sarah, you don't understand," Chuck began.

"And that's because you haven't explained it to me," Sarah replied, squeezing his hand. "When you wear blue-tinted glasses, it blocks out the other colors around you. All you see is a shade of blue. Chuck, there's a lot out here that isn't blue. It's yellow, and red, and bright purple, and pink."

She took a deep breath. "You think you owe people… well, you don't. You think there's all these things you 'should' do. You think you aren't worthy. Buddy, you can wield Mjolnir, as far as I'm concerned." Chuck's eyes went wide. He was motionless, except for the blinking. "You alright?"

"You know what Mjolnir is?" Chuck asked.

"Yeah, it's a hammer forged by the dwarven blacksmiths," she replied with a shrug. Chuck continued to stare at her. "What? I wasn't hatched. I watch movies." Chuck nodded and seemed to calm, as Lou brought out their meals. Sarah turned to the smaller woman. "Lou, doesn't everyone know Thor's hammer is Mjolnir, and that it premiered in _Journey into Mystery _#83?"

"Careful, honey, you'll break him if you keep that up," Lou said as she walked off, her shoulders shaking in laughter.

Sarah turned back to Chuck, who was looking at her in awe. The look he gave her made her feel special, but he needed to know the truth.

She reached back over and took his hand. "Spoiler alert: I knew about your and Morgan's talk, so I wikipedia'ed it to mess with you."

The look on his face changed from awe to something else, and then a smile came over his face. "Wait, you knew about that, and looked it up, for me?" Sarah nodded. "Why?"

"Because…" Sarah took her hand away, because she wasn't sure she could say all of this while touching him. "You're a good guy, Chuck. You are an amazing person, who does everything for everyone else, and I thought it would be nice if one person besides Morgan knew something about the things you like. I think you're worth knowing, and worth knowing about."

Chuck sat there, with a stunned look on his face. But there was something else there, something that made her tingle inside. She found herself swallowing.

"Damn," he said softly. "I _am_ worthy."

"You are," she said, before she could stop herself. He didn't say anything for a minute, so she reached down and picked up her sandwich.

"Lou started working here when we were juniors in high school," he said softly. Sarah set her sandwich down. "She told me I should come over on Tuesdays and Thursdays when she worked, because she could get me the home-plate special for a dollar." Sarah saw him look past her, to Lou. "I found out later the home-plate special was whatever food was prepared earlier for that day that wasn't sold. It was hot, it was good, it was homecooked…"

"No one else got it for a dollar though, right?" Sarah asked, pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"Ellie did, when she was here. But by then, she was in college."

"Wait… you lived by yourself at sixteen?"

"Fifteen, actually," Chuck replied with a shrug. "It's pretty much all I've ever known. When I think I get close to people…" He looked away.

Her hand once again lay on top of his. She could see the tears pooling in his eyes. It occurred to her that every time he had lied to her, it was an attempt to protect her, and himself. It didn't make it better, but it wasn't done with malicious intent. "Hey," she said softly as he blinked. "Listen, I know you agreed a little too quickly back at your house. As long as you don't lie to me, we can work on everything else."

"I feel like I owe so many," he said softly.

"The only person you owe is _you_," Sarah told him. He turned to look at her. "Chuck, do you think you run people off?" He looked away again.

"It's crossed my mind," he said with a raspy voice, trying not to cry. "Parents dead, Jill leaves with my roommate… you'd think maybe it's the one thing all of them have in common."

"You know, I considered leaving after the attack," Sarah said softly. He turned to her. "I'm a little out of my element here, if I'm honest." She looked around. "This town, it's a little intimate. Everyone knows everyone else." Chuck nodded. "Back in California there are millions of people I could blend in with. I'd never have to worry about someone really getting to know me, not having to get to know them."

"You said 'considered'." Sarah nodded. "Why did you decide not to go?"

"You," she said, looking him dead in the eye. Something felt rather warm in her, as she watched him squirm as she said that. "I met a pretty amazing guy, that saved my life. I met someone I want to get to know."

"Know?" Chuck asked.

"Chuck," she said taking his hand. "You have hidden yourself here. I know Jill is here, but you have hidden yourself, and you deserve to let yourself live. So, you got my back, and I got yours."

"When you say-" his phone rang, cutting him off.

"Oh, I see, it's on for everyone else, but when I'm being chased by a rabid man…" Sarah said, sitting back in mock disgust. Chuck stared at her, and then was jarred back to reality as it rang again.

He stuck his tongue out at her, making her laugh as he answered the phone. "This is Chuck," he said. "Miss Phelps? Is it that time already? Well, let me finish eating lunch and I'll come out there."

He glanced at Sarah. "Do you mind if I bring the other vet in town with me?" He went red. "No, Ma'am, we're not going steady, I've been showing her around." He went redder, and turned away from Sarah a little as he spoke. "No," he said softly. "I have not shown her the overlook on the river. We are professional colleagues."

Sarah ran her foot up the side of his leg, making him jump in the seat. He looked at her like she was crazy. She smiled at him and wondered when the last time anyone went out of their way to make sure people didn't get the wrong idea. She had lead a life of guys implying things to her, about her. And now here was this kind man, who still blushed over the use of the word 'melons' when she had, in fact, been holding melons.

"It seems some of us are more professional than other," Chuck muttered, and then his eyes went wide. He gulped, and handed Sarah the phone. "Miss Phelps wants to talk to you."

Sarah took the phone. "Hello? Yes Miss Phelps. Yes, he has been a perfect gentleman. No, I'm not surprised either. I'll do what I can ma'am. We should be leaving very soon. See you then." She handed the phone back to Chuck. "Miss Phelps said you shouldn't be so gentlemanly."

Sarah laughed at the resulting look on Chuck's face.

}o{

Chuck kept glancing at Sarah on the drive to Miss Phelps. "Thinking about being ungentlemanly?" Sarah asked, twisting her lips to the side.

"What? No," Chuck answered quickly. "I think… I think I need to explain something to you about Miss Phelps."

"Why don't we go, I watch silently, and then you explain everything after. That way I don't have preconceptions," Sarah offered.

"Okay," Chuck replied, blowing out a breath.

They pulled up a few minutes later, and Sarah watched an older lady open the door of the house. Chuck and Sarah both entered. As Sarah entered the home, she saw a piano off to the side, and music both in sheet form and various books. "Any students?" Chuck asked.

"No," Miss Phelps said, dejectedly. She held her right hand up, and it looked… painful. "Having a rough time with the claw today."

"What did the doctor say?" Chuck asked, a mask of cheeriness on his face. Sarah had seen that mask on him, and knew it from herself. It was one that hid pain.

"That old quack said if I had the kind of surgery I want to give me flexibility, it will probably fail in seven to ten years and my hands would look weird," Miss Phelps replied. "The other surgery would basically fuse my knuckles together, relieving the pain."

"What about playing?" Chuck asked. Miss Phelps shook her head. "Oh."

She stopped in front of the bathroom. Sarah saw a tub full of water, and a dog standing there in front of the tub. "Chuck Bartowski, don't you go feeling sorry for me." She narrowed her eyes at him. "My granddaughter said there is no such thing as this type of bath you're giving Sugar." Sugar barked.

"And how many degrees does your granddaughter have?" Chuck replied. "You know what, standing right here is the top of her class from the number one vet school in America. Why don't you ask Dr. Walker of the benefits of giving Sugar a stress-reducing bath?"

Sarah gave Chuck a look, and it dawned on her. Miss Phelps's hand made it impossible to bathe her dog, and Chuck… well, he was being Chuck.

"Miss Phelps, when you have had a long, bad day, what do you do?" Sarah asked, as Chuck grinned at her and put the dog in the tub. The dog barked happily, and she watched for a second as Chuck grinned, playing with the dog.

"Take a long relaxing bath," Miss Phelps replied, following her gaze.

Sarah turned back to her. "So, if a bath helps you or I lower our anxiety and helps with our mental health, wouldn't it stand to reason it would do the same thing for dogs?"

"Hmmph," Miss Phelps replied, and watched Chuck bathe Sugar. She turned and walked out, stopping right by Sarah's ear that was furthest from Chuck. "Don't think I didn't notice you didn't actually answer the question."

"Don't think I didn't notice you noticing," Sarah replied, twisting her lips to the side to fight the smile. Miss Phelps patted her shoulder.

It was some time later when both dog and vet were dried off. "Chuck, could you do me a favor?" Miss Phelps asked. Sarah glanced away to keep the grin off her face. She knew immediately that Chuck would do pretty much anything Miss Phelps would ask. "It's been some time since anyone has played that piano… would you mind?"

"I don't even know what to play," Chuck began.

"You do too," Miss Phelps replied. "You don't mind do you, Sarah?"

"Not at all," Sarah replied, grinning at Chuck. Chuck walked over to the piano, sat down, popped his knuckles, played a few cords, and began.

_From the day we arrive on the planet_

_And, blinking, step into the sun_

_There's more to be seen_

_Than can ever be seen_

_More to do than can ever be done_

Sarah was blown away by his skill on the keyboard, his singing ability, and his overall kindness. He was here for Miss Phelps. There was no bathing therapy that she had heard of. This was all Chuck watching out for someone. She was sure, if she asked, Miss Phelps had never charged him for a piano lesson after his parents died.

_In the circle of life_

_It's the wheel of fortune_

_It's the leap of faith_

_It's the band of hope_

_'Til we find our place_

_On the path unwinding_

_In the circle, the circle of life_

She thought about the plot of _The Lion King,_ and this was the part where Simba had run away in the movie. Chuck was hiding. He was in plain sight, but he was hiding. She watched him play, and promised herself, she was going to do all she could to remind Chuck Bartowski of who he really was.

She absolutely would, after she finished listening to him sing. It really was quite beautiful.

* * *

A/N: Wow, things seems great…..Dillwg, did I just mess this up?


	8. Ch 8, Smooth Talker

A/N: A/N: So everything is fine now. *ducks whatever Dillwg just threw at me* Into every fluff must a little angst must fall, and guys this is my normal angst so….we good.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

Sarah walked into Lou's, smiling despite her bad morning. Her hair was still damp after she was forced to towel it dry when the blow dryer had shorted out. To add to the festivities, she then spilled her coffee on her shirt, forcing her to change. She was behind on laundry and didn't have any other 'professional' clothes that were clean. So, she grabbed an old t-shirt she had liked from back in the day of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She had no clients scheduled, and she usually wore her coat over her shirt. Besides, Chuck would wear something like this, she was sure. As she walked into Lou's, she saw a large group of women in the back turn as one to look at her. Some of their eyes went wide, and some of them had knowing smiles on their faces.

"Walker of shame?" Lou said with a grin. Sarah just stared at Lou, as the grin slowly fell off her face. "Okay, you obviously don't know how this town works."

Lou motioned for Sarah to have a seat at the counter. Sarah was running late, but when you have no clients, there's nothing really to worry about, is there? Sarah had a seat, as Lou poured her a cup of coffee and got Sarah her morning croissant. "So, after you left Miss Phelps house last night, the gossip line went into action." Sarah looked confused, and Lou patted her hand. "Honey, welcome to a small town. Be right back."

She walked to the back of the diner, refilled those tables' coffees, and returned to the front. "So Miss Phelps called Miss Barnes and told her that you and Chuck were an item. I'm sure the words steady, going together, or possibly even pinned, were used." Sarah snorted.

"So Chuck and I are together, according to two people?" Sarah asked. Lou chuckled and shook her head.

"Sweetie, look at that table," Lou said, indicating the large group of women. Sarah looked. "That is the women's Sunday School group. The first thing on this morning's agenda was your intentions with Chuck Bartowski." Sarah looked at Lou. "I am _so_ not kidding." Sarah's jaw dropped a bit. "Then you come in here with a Chuck Bartowski t-shirt, your hair wet…."

"Oh my God," Sarah said softly.

"They're pretty sure you said that all last night," Lou replied, sipping her own cup of coffee. Sarah began to blush

"What if I did?" Sarah asked, making Lou choke on her coffee. Lou's eyes were nearly bugging out of her face as she looked at Sarah. Lou had to use both hands to get control of her coffee cup while Sarah smirked. "Serves you right for that crack."

"Sarah," Lou whispered fiercely. "If they heard that-"

"Who gives a damn what they think?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, honey," Lou replied. "You don't understand. This could affect your business."

"Who, or what, I do should not affect my professional practice," Sarah retorted.

"Welcome to Sadie, Kentucky," Lou said, lifting a cup of coffee to her.

}o{

A few hours later, Sarah was still stewing. She had seen a few patients that day, walk-ins, but it became quite obvious that they all thought something by the knowing smiles on their faces. Sarah liked Chuck – a lot – but it was her business. She was very private in that regard, which was one of the things that had contributed to the demise of her relationship with Bryce. He was very open about their relationship. Sarah wasn't, because it was her and Chuck's business, and no one else's. And according to him, her wanting it to be so secret is one of the reasons he felt like she was being too serious. Frustrated, she slapped the folder she had been reading onto her desk.

She thought maybe she should call Chuck and give him a heads-up, but he'd lived here a while, so he had to know what was going on. She was irritated with him as well, if she was being honest. It wasn't his fault this was going on, but… he should have known better. She huffed out a breath. She was being completely irrational, and she knew it. Chuck didn't do any of this, and if they were together, she didn't know if this would bother her or not. But they weren't, and it was not any of the town's business… even if it _was_the same town that took care of him when he lost his parents.

That thought saddened and frustrated her at the same time. It wasn't fair. She buried her head in her hands and groaned.

Up front, the doorbell chimed as the door opened. "Hi," Daphne said, sounding bored. She looked up, and her expression brightened. "Well, how are you today?" she asked in the sultriest voice she could muster.

"I am doing well," the man said, leaning against the front counter, beaming at Daphne. "I am Cole Barker, pharmaceutical rep."

"You are a drug, that is for sure," Daphne said, not even hiding her looking him up and down.

"Is the doctor in?" Cole asked, grinning at her.

"SARAH!" Daphne yelled, never taking her eyes off Cole. Sarah walked up front, shaking her head at the pure lust virtually oozing off Daphne.

"You bellowed, Daphne?" Sarah asked. "Sarah Walker," she said to Cole, extending her hand.

Cole took her hand in his, turned it and brought it to his lips. "Cole Barker, pharmaceutical rep." Sarah twisted her lips to the side with the move. He was a good-looking man, and she couldn't stop herself from wondering: What would the townspeople do if they saw this.

"I had no idea veterinarians could be so stunning," Cole said. Oh, he was good, a charmer _and_ good-looking. "Listen, is there any way you'd let me take you out to lunch, or dinner?"

"We don't have anything on our schedule the rest of the day," Daphne said quickly.

"I'm sorry, lovely, but for today, I need to see just… Miss?" he asked, turning to Sarah who gave him a slight head nod. Cole gave her a megawatt smile. "Walker," he finished turning back to Daphne. "But next time, how about just you and I?" Daphne all but melted. Cole turned back to Sarah. "Please, Miss Walker, let me take you out to lunch in Owensboro, it will make my bosses so happy that I have found a new vet."

She could easily say no, but the thought of all the women staring at her this morning entered her mind. "It would be my pleasure," Sarah replied. She turned to Daphne. "Anyone calls with an emergency, have them call Chuck."

"Oh, you know Mr. Bartowski?" Cole asked.

"We've met," Sarah replied. Cole grinned at her, and she suddenly wondered if she had made a mistake.

"So, you won't be back today?" Daphne asked.

"No, we have much to discuss," Cole told her. Sarah stiffened. She knew right then and there she shouldn't go with him. That's when the door opened to the clinic.

"Miss Walker, I'm Gladys Martin, and I was wondering if I could bring my dog by later this afternoon for a checkup."

"She's going to be gone with Mr. Barker the rest of the afternoon," Daphne said. Sarah watched Gladys bristle and look from her to Cole.

"That's right," Sarah said. "Mr. Barker," she said, and extended her hand towards the door. Daphne handed Sarah her purse from behind the desk, and Sarah left the clinic. She got in Cole's vehicle, and they took off.

Gladys turned toward Daphne. "She doesn't know him, does she? She doesn't know what that smooth-talking man will do to her?"

"Do you, because he's offered to take me out," Daphne replied.

"Don't you know he just wants to have sex with whatever woman he can?" Gladys asked.

"Don't tease me like that," Daphne said. Gladys glared at Daphne. "What? I can have sex with whoever I want."

"Sarah is seeing Chuck," Gladys said, as if that explained everything.

"Looks like she's seeing Cole right now," Daphne replied. The glare hit even harder this time. "Let me go do some filing in the back, by myself." And with that she fled.

Gladys grabbed her phone and made a call. "Thomas, what are you and the boys doing? Mucking the stalls? Perfect, get the boys together, come into town and get me, and we're all going to the Executive Inn. NO! Do not take a shower! I know exactly how you smell, now get them all together. THOMAS EARL MARTIN! DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?! That's better, I'll see you in a bit, dear." She hung up. "That girl better not doing anything stupid before we get there."

}o{

"I have a lot to show you and much to discuss," Cole said as they got on the road. "We can have lunch and dinner if you wish at my hotel. I only bring the usual stuff with me when I see Chuck. Luckily the hotel isn't that far away."

"Great," Sarah said, a smile plastered on her face. She had done it again. She had let her stubbornness get the best of her. She pulled out her phone. "Let me text a friend that I was supposed to see later and let him know I might be delayed." She stared at her phone, took a breath and typed.

_**Tell me your phone is on.**_

She stared at the phone, and then the three dots popped up. She let out a slight sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding in.

_**I've learned my lesson, it's always on for you.**_

_**Do you know Cole Barker?**_

_**Good looking, pharmaceutical rep?**_ He responded and as she watched, the three dots popped up again. _**Uh, how do I ask this delicately?**_

_**He's a player**__,__** isn't he?**_

**Sarah, he's in a league of his own.** There was nothing else or a second. She couldn't help but grin, because she knew exactly what Chuck was doing. She could see him staring at his phone, asking if she wanted help. The three dots popped up, and then they went away. She almost laughed, knowing he had erased whatever he had written. This repeated three times, before she finally saw a message.

_**Look, I know you don't need a white knight on a horse.**_

She typed quickly before he could say anything else.

_**What I need is you in your pickup to come get me out of this mess.**_

She watched the dots, wondering what he was going to say to that. For a moment, she was a little worried it might have broken him or something, but she was pleased to see he responded quickly.

_**What should I do, burst in and declare my undying love for you?**_

_**I mean, we both know it's true**_, she shot back

_**Clearly you are the one who has fallen for me and keep putting yourself in these positions for me to come save you. I'm assuming he's going with the old standby, the Executive Inn?**_She smirked at her phone.

"Everything okay?" Cole asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry," Sarah replied. She wasn't, she really wasn't. Now that she had calmed down about the town gossip machine, she felt all her internal alarms going off around Cole. He wasn't a bad guy, he was just out for one thing. She didn't begrudge him that, it just wasn't what she was looking for. If she wanted to have nights of fun, with meaningless hookups, she could have stayed in LA. She wanted a life, with someone. Someone she trusted, that made her laugh, that had kind eyes, preferably brown with gold flecks… her eyes widened at herself as that thought left her brain.

She knew she liked Chuck, but to think about him like that, like… like a partner in life, like…

_**Do you think it's a good time to be making position jokes given who I'm with?**_ she fired back. The three dots didn't appear for a while.

_**Really?**_ Was his response, making her laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Cole asked.

"Sorry, it's an inside joke that would take forever to explain," Sarah replied. "So, Cole, anyone back home? I would think a job like this would make it hard to have someone?"

"Oh, no," Cole replied with a grin. "Still hoping to meet that special someone." His mouth twitched with a smile. "Sometimes you have to try on a bunch of shoes to find the perfect fit."

_EWW!_ She thought.

_**He's already making bad innuendos.**_

_**He took that long?**_

Sarah had to twist her lips to keep from smiling.

_**I'm running the hamsters in this thing as fast as I can.**_

_**I'll hold him off as long as I can, but you know us women, we can be so easily influenced by pretty men that are charming.**_

_**I don't know these women you speak of, but I have every confidence that you can handle him. The reason I'm hurrying is to see you torch his ass when he tries some tired line with you.**_

Sarah looked up from her phone to the road. She had never met someone that knew so little about her, but believed in her the way he did.

_**I like you Chuck.**_ She had it typed out, all she had to do was send it.

"I'm surprised a pretty thing like you hasn't been swept off her feet yet," Cole said, grinning at her.

She turned to him, hitting send. "Waiting for the right guy to treat me the way I deserve to be treated." She knew he wouldn't text again. Chances were he had dropped his phone. Chances were he had no idea how to respond to that. Chances were, she would verbally spar with this guy until he showed up. She'd wait for him, however long that took. He was worth it… _she_ was worth it.

}o{

A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Sarah got out of the vehicle before Cole, and made her way to the hotel door. She held it open for him, causing him to give her a confused look. Sarah's alarms went off again, when the host asked him if he wanted his normal table. Sarah followed the two men to the table, and took her own chair before Cole could pull it out for her. He gave her a look as he sat. A commotion at the front of the restaurant made them both look up.

Sarah recognized the woman from the office earlier this morning. She was with many men, of different ages, but they were all dressed, and looked, like they had been working in mud… or something else.

"Good God," Cole said. A whiff came her way. Yep, something else.

"Don't enjoy the smell of hard work?" Sarah asked.

"Not when I'm trying to enjoy my meal," Cole replied.

"Well, if it's bothering you too much, we can always go somewhere else," she offered. A slow smile grew on his face.

"There is always my room," Cole offered.

"No, I wouldn't want anyone to get to get the wrong idea about us. I mean we are professional colleagues, and nothing more," Sarah retorted with a smile. She saw Cole's smile falter. "Besides, all this talk of food has made me hungry."

Cole sat there for a moment. "I have the perfect idea."

}o{

The phone tumbled from his fingers and fell to the floor after he read her final text. She had just said she liked him. She had asked him to help her get away from Cole Barker, and she liked him. For the past several years, Cole had bragged to Chuck many times of all the women he had "bedded" in the Owensboro area. There had been a night Chuck had found himself alone at the bar, because Cole was off to his room with some random woman. Chuck had told him time and again he didn't care about his prowess. Cole didn't seem to be a bad guy, and it wasn't like he was promising women some long-term relationship, but it wasn't Chuck's scene.

Chuck pulled up to the hotel and saw several from town in the parking lot, looking and smelling like they had come straight from the barn. He grabbed his cell phone as he got out of his truck, and saw Mrs. Martin hurrying toward him, looking frazzled.

"Chuck, Chuck, I am so sorry," Gladys said.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Martin?" Chuck asked. Why was Thomas and Gladys here? Why were many of her hands here? Why did they all smell like they just walked out of the barn after mucking it?

"I tried to ruin their romantic dinner with Thomas and the boys and their smell, but they left, and now… now…" She looked around. "I'm afraid Cole is going to seduce her," she whispered.

"I'm not," Chuck replied. "But why are you here?"

"To help _you_, young man," Gladys replied. Chuck gave her a soft smile. "We all know how you feel about her, and look at her."

"Mrs. Martin," Chuck began.

"Gladys," she corrected.

"Gladys," Chuck began again. "While I appreciate what you're trying to do, I need you to understand: She's her own person. She gets to make her own decisions. And we have to respect whatever they are." His phone buzzed, and he looked at it and smiled. "Besides, she just texted me where she is."

"Where are they?" Gladys asked.

"Oh, no," Chuck replied. "They are exactly where I thought they'd go, knowing Cole, but I'm not bringing you all there. I will go to her, and if she wants to leave with me, it's her choice."

"She will, Chuck," Gladys said as he climbed in his truck. Chuck had no idea why she would, but he hoped she would, as well.

}o{

"Sorry, it's nowhere near as private," Cole began.

"It's fine, Cole," Sarah replied. "We're here to enjoy food, and talk business, not have a date." Cole's face froze. Sarah folded the papers he had shown her and put them in her purse. "I'll go through these at the office on Monday, unless you have something else to add?"

"No," Cole answered. "Now, let me introduce you to the best BBQ in Owensboro."

"Interesting," came a voice, walking up to their table, making Sarah smile. "You're at Moonlight, Cole. While they do have an amazing buffet of vegetables and different types of barbeque… and let's not forget the burgoo."

"Let's not," Sarah said, as Chuck grabbed a chair between Sarah and Cole at their four-person square table, turned it around backwards, and sat down, straddling it.

"They are not the best in Owensboro," Chuck finished, looking over at Sarah. "Hi."

"Hey you," she replied. Sarah turned to Cole. "You do know my… well, Chuck, right?"

Cole's eyes widened a bit. "Are you two…" Cole couldn't finish that sentence.

"We don't really label it, and I'm kind of private about things," Sarah began.

"So private I don't even know what's going on sometimes," Chuck added. He held in the wince from the kick to his shin he received, that Cole couldn't see.

"I mean after I spent the most intense night of my life with him," she trailed off with a shrug. Cole's mouth dropped further.

"You two… you two?"

"I mean I had to hold on to him all night, it was just so much," Sarah said, grinning at Chuck. Chuck was trying not to turn red at her hinting at (and not so subtlety) what did not happen. "I guess you've never really experienced that, have you, Cole?"

"You two?" he asked, giving Chuck a wild eye look.

"I mean, like she said, we don't label it," Chuck said. Cole got up. "Where are you going?"

"I don't feel well, I think I'm going back to my room," Cole said, and with that, he left.

"You willing to chance the labels they'll place on us if we eat barbeque together?" Sarah asked.

"I can handle anything that you can," Chuck said. "But, if we're doing this, we're doing this right." Chuck held out his hand, and she took his.

They went up front, paid for the drinks, and left. He led her to the truck, and they made the five-minute drive to Old Hickory. He parked the truck and turned to her.

"Just so you know, if we go in here, together…" He trailed off, grinning. She looked down at the floor of the truck. "What's wrong?"

"I got myself into a mess, again, because I was hot-headed," Sarah said. "The church Sunday School class saw this t-shirt, my wet hair, and the gossip line was hot last night."

"Oh God," Chuck said softly, knowing what was coming.

"And then he walked in, and I thought I'll show those women and… I wasn't sleeping with him."

"It's not my business if you do," Chuck replied quickly. She gave him a look, and held his gaze until he swallowed.

"I just wanted my personal life to be _my_ personal life," Sarah said. Chuck pressed his lips together. "But," she said, making him stop from butting in. "If I'm going to live here, and be around you, there's a lot worse that could happen than people thinking we're together."

"Yeah, for you it would be if we actually _were_ together," Chuck said. She narrowed her eyes. "You saw me grocery shop… I'm an overgrown child."

"Maybe I like overgrown children," she said. Chuck's mind melted. She hopped out of the truck and was halfway to the door when his head rebooted, and he hurried after her.

* * *

A/N: Dear me, does this mean Chuck and Sarah are about to get legally engaged by the customs of this small town, and is Sarah willing to try the burgoo? What could possibly happen next? Wanna peak?

"_What if I want Pecan pie?" Sarah asked._

"_You can't handle the Pecan Pie," Chuck retorted making both women laugh out loud. Chuck turned back to the waitress. "She's not, is she?"_

"_I don't know, she looks like she's ready for a lot of things," the waitress replied, giving Chuck a knowing look. Chuck began to blush. "How about you two have half of each dessert?"_

All this and more! So much more! Next time on Life in a Small Town. Drop a review if you would, and enjoy Thanksgiving if you celebrate. Also, if you enjoy fanfic, come on over to the Chuck Fanfiction private group, where we talk about everything fanfiction related, I make a stupid amount of polls, and Joe and I argue about which Christmas movie is better. When you click the button there are three questions, please answer them. I'm the one who approves a lot of the requests so I have to know it's a real person, and not some bot. See you soon here and/or on the Facebook page.


	9. Ch 9, BBQ Date

A/N: For those of you curious, Moonlight BBQ does exist, it is an all you can eat buffet with so many BBQ'd meats, vegetables, soups, and desserts that you have to be careful not to explode from eating too much. It is delicious. However, Old Hickory BBQ is the place where the locals go, and it is sooooooooooooooooooooooooo good.

Can you tell I enjoy my food? So, what now with our heroes? They've made a step in the right direction together. Maybe it's time or some communication. Wait? Chuck and Sarah talk? Nahhhhh

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

Chuck walked inside, and waited for a moment for his eyes to adjust from the bright sunlight to the darker, cooler room. Sarah was standing there, a smirk on her face, and Chuck wondered how far he would let her tease him to see that smirk. Deep down he knew, and that... that shook him a little. He wanted to say it had been a long time since he felt this way, but that would be a lie.

Even with Jill he never felt this... electricity, this joy. If he was honest – and to be this honest hurt – he was more in love with the idea of the partner he thought she would be. He had been in love with the idea of being in love. He had been in love with the idea that she would understand the things he had to do in the middle of the night, for being hip deep in muck that you didn't want to know what it was composed of. He had been madly in love with all of that, but Jill... he hadn't been in love. He had been attracted to her, and her intelligence, and beauty. He had been attracted to her kindness, but when they went to Auburn, he had seen all that wither away, and a petty jealousy began to sprout its head.

Chuck pushed away all thoughts of Jill, because Sarah was speaking. And honestly. Jill could be right in front of him professing her love for him, and he'd still care more about whatever it was Sarah was asking him.

"Table or a booth?" She repeated for him.

A small smile grew on his face. "Well, Sarah, you've been driving this relationship-"

"Relationship?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Relationship," he said firmly, and she gave a small nod to show she approved. "So, are you ready for the next step?" Amusement covered her features, and her eyes were dancing. Chuck knew he could get lost there forever, and never care about anything ever again. "So, do you want to sit at a table, where you have some deniability of what others will say? A table can be explained away... but a booth… well…"

Sarah turned to the waitress, who was silently giggling through the whole thing. "Is he right? If we are spotted here, in a booth, will the good people of Sadie jump to conclusions?"

"Probably," the waitress admitted. "So, a table?"

"Oh, no," Sarah said, glancing back at Chuck. "They already think we're sleeping together, so let's just make their heads explode." She heard a noise out of Chuck behind her, but she didn't dare turn around. She was fairly certain if she saw him broken, just by those words, there was no telling what she might do to keep breaking him.

"Follow me," the waitress said.

Sarah turned to Chuck, who seemed to be back to normal. "Follow me," she repeated.

"I'm a' followin'," Chuck said under his breath, making her laugh out loud. They were seated across from each other, in the farthest corner of the restaurant from anyone. "I feel like the waitress is fully in on this."

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Stop," Chuck said reaching across taking her hand, surprising them both. "If you and I can't laugh about this, then we'll cry. Whatever our... relationship is... it's ours." Sarah gave him a soft smile.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe me anything, Sarah," Chuck said gently. "If you want to tell me something, I'm all ears, but _owe_ me... no."

"Then I need to tell you something," Sarah said, a bit of challenge in her voice. Chuck sat back, arms crossed, a smile on his face, waiting for this revelation. "I'm a private person."

"As is your right," Chuck added.

"And all the rumors this morning reminded me of how things went bad in my relationships, my entire life." Huffing out a breath, she pushed her hair back. Leaning forward, she put her elbows on the table and looked Chuck right in the eye. "It's a habit I learned as a kid." She looked down at the table. "Mom... mom was afraid I'd be like dad, so she tried to keep me away from anyone who was questionable."

She put her hands together in front of her, and began to wring them a bit. "I never told people about my family because... because dad... dad was a con man."

Chuck's eyes went wide. He undid his arms, and took her hands in his. "That doesn't define you, you know."

"I know," Sarah said. "Now." Chuck nodded in understanding. "So, when everyone kept telling me what I should do, I did what I wanted to do, quietly, because I believed in me and what I wanted. That's why I kept my relationship with Bryce secret. Well, not really secret. I just didn't talk about it."

"Did you, to him?" Chuck asked.

She paused. "Chuck, I was a teenager, and I don't know if I ever explained it properly to Bryce."

"Still no excuse for him going around naked, and falling on random women," he muttered. She snorted laughter. "Listen, you and I are you and I. If I have questions, I will ask, until I understand the answer."

"Okay," Sarah replied. "So, the first question… are you taking my last name?" A grin was on her face.

"Nope," he replied. "I'm hyphenating. I'm thinking Bartowski-Walker will look good on some business cards," he said, as he ran his hand in front of him and the imaginary business cards. Sarah roared with laughter.

"Oh, God," she said, wheezing laughter. "That was so good."

"Don't mean to interrupt, but are you ready to order?" the waitress asked.

"I have no idea what I'm getting," Sarah began.

"Trust me?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded. "Sweet tea?"

"I'm not there yet," she said with a grin. Chuck nodded at her.

He turned to the waitress. "One sweet tea, one unsweet." He leaned toward the waitress conspiratorially, and whispered, "She's not from around here." The waitress laughed, and Sarah found herself giggling. "Two orders of Burgoo," the waitress nodded in agreement. "Two _sliced_ pork sandwiches... she's not ready for mutton yet, is she?"

"No," the waitress agreed. "Sides?"

"Let's do potato salad, baked beans, and green beans, with the ham hock?"

"Absolutely," she said. "Slaw as the last one, and I assume you're going to let her try them all?

"I am," Chuck said. He turned to Sarah. "Are you a vinegar or mayo person?" Sarah's eyes went wide, and she shrugged.

"How about one of both, no charge," the waitress offered.

"You are a dear," Chuck said. "And for dessert, pecan pie for me, and banana pudding for her."

"What if I want Pecan pie?" Sarah asked.

"You can't handle the Pecan Pie," Chuck retorted making both women laugh out loud. Chuck turned back to the waitress. "She's not, is she?"

"I don't know, she looks like she's ready for a lot of things," the waitress replied, giving Chuck a knowing look. Chuck began to blush. "How about you two have half of each dessert?"

Chuck looked a bit dejected. "I guess," he said, sulking a bit.

"So, you'll take my last name, but you won't share your pecan pie?" Sarah asked. The waitress laughed.

"A man has to have priorities," Chuck said, drawing up with a look of airs about him. Both women laughed uproariously. "I guess I'll share my pie with her."

"I don't think that's the only thing you two will share before you're done," the waitress ribbed him, walking away.

"See, her," Chuck said, pointing at her. "She's the one you should be telling that your personal life is personal."

"I don't know that I disagree with her," Sarah replied, bouncing a shoulder. Chuck's brain locked, and Sarah was right… she didn't know how far she'd go to see him look at her like that. And she found that didn't scare her one bit.

}o{

"Listen," Chuck began, "I know that you are a private person, so I feel I should tell you… you are making some noises over there that really should only be made in private."

Sarah grinned at him. "Chuck, I said I kept things to myself, but what I didn't tell you is, when I find the right one, I have trouble keeping my emotions in check."

"Well, I hope you and the burgoo are very happy together," he quipped.

"I get why barbeque is so serious," Sarah replied, grinning. Chuck grinned back at her. "Has my actions today made your life harder?"

Chuck looked up at her, and held her gaze. "No, but if it ever did, it was worth it for this." He reddened a little when he realized what he said, but he continued. "You know I've had friends, but I normally get so caught up in my work..." he trailed off.

"Not this week," she said with a grin. He reached into his pocket and turned off his phone, making her eyes widen. "What are you doing?"

"Living dangerously," Chuck said, making her laugh.

"You can't keep that off five minutes," Sarah said with a grin. Chuck sighed and turned it back on.

"We're both here, and if someone needs... I'm sorry."

"Don't," Sarah said. "You are who you are, Chuck. The problem is, you don't see you."

"Not much to see," he said, looking back down at his food.

"Yeah, not much to see," Sarah agreed. He lifted his head. "I mean, heroic, good looking, kind. Hair that I'm just not sure what to do with but I'd like to figure it out. Will do anything for anyone… and that is not the same thing as 'kind'," she quickly added.

"Good looking?" Chuck asked, reddening.

"Yeah, got a problem with that?" Sarah asked.

"I mean, no, I just didn't think... okay, I don't know what I thought," Chuck admitted. Chuck was silent as he ate his lunch, and sat there contemplating what she had said.

"Ready for dessert?" The waitress asked, holding banana pudding and the pecan pie.

"Give her the pie," Chuck said, making Sarah give him a look. "No sense putting off the inevitable. The waitress left their desserts and walked off. Chuck watched her take a bite.

Sarah's eyes widened, and then closed and a low moan left her throat. Chuck looked around, but the restaurant had very few people in it, and none of them were nearby. "Not ready, right?"

"Chuck, how are you ever ready for something like this?" she asked, giving him a look over her fork. She took a deep breath, and put her hand on top of his. "Sometimes, you have to go for it, and trust your partner."

"So, you're saying you wouldn't have tried this if I hadn't been here?" Chuck asked. Sarah shrugged, but a grin was on her face. "I feel like you're trying to tell me something."

She pushed the dessert off to the side, making Chuck raise an eyebrow. She laid her left hand over her right wrist, elbows on the table. "Oh, I'm coming back to this dessert, but it's time we talked."

Chuck gulped.

"Chuck, everyone in this town thinks something's going on with us. I like you, Chuck. I like you a lot."

"I'm quite fond of you," Chuck managed to get out, making her grin grow. "No, that's a lie. I like you a lot as well, but... professionally..."

"Who gives a damn?" She asked, bluntly.

"Okay, so I think, you're proposing some type of relationship that exceeds friendship," Chuck began.

"Date, Chuck. You know, where two people go to a quiet place to eat, spend time together, laugh..."

"So, you're saying this is a date?"

"I'm not saying it's not," she retorted.

"Okay, hold that thought," Chuck insisted. "What happens if we break up, and we have to work together?"

A slow smile grew on Sarah's face as she leaned forward. "What happens if we don't break up and it turns serious?" She leaned back slowly, then quickly leaned back in. "More serious than it already is?"

"Wait, what?" Chuck asked. "How can you think like that?"

"How can you think like you're thinking?" Sarah replied. Chuck blinked. Yep, he was broken again. "Chuck, I have no idea, but I'd like to believe we're both adults. If something does go wrong that... well... we can handle it as such, and before you ask, yeah, it's worth it. It's worth the risk."

Chuck sat there, stunned. "I'm not sure I know what to say."

"I know, Chuck," she said softly, patting his hand. She reached over for her dessert.

"I don't know how," he said softly. Sarah stopped and slowly turned to him. "I... I thought I had something special with Jill. Turns out, I was in love with the idea of being in love."

He swallowed. "I really enjoy being with you. I really enjoy spending time with you. I love how you fluster me, and then you seem to enjoy it." Sarah smiled at him. "Sarah, it's not fair of me to ask you to be with me... like that. I think I owe everyone, I think I'm not worthy. But you think I am, and I'm trying so hard to listen to you, but-"

Sarah got up suddenly, and came around to his side of the booth. She took his hands in hers. "What are you trying to get at, you spiraling nerd?"

"I want to... I want to try and... gah, there is no try," he muttered.

"Do or not do," she said softly, and his eyes widened. "Trust me, trust us. That's all you have to do. Be you. Be honest. I'm not asking for you to profess your love for me, I'm asking you to be Chuck Bartowski. I'm asking you to be the man you are, that's it. We'll figure out everything else along the way."

"I think... I can do that," Chuck replied. Sarah grinned, and nodded at him. She got up and went to the other side of the table. "Remember I get half of that."

"You're not ready for it," she replied, taking another bite and smirking as his jaw dropped.

}o{

As they walked out, Sarah grabbed two peppermints, and as she got ready to toss one to Chuck, he spoke. "Onions too much?"

"No, they were fine, I was just trying to be prepared in case you tried to kiss me, since, you know, this was a date."

"It was?" Chuck asked, and then quickly before she could give him a look, replied. "It was." They got into the truck. "You know, I guess I could be forced to kiss you, if traditions dictate."

She popped a peppermint into her mouth. "Force? I would think you would be able to struggle through it."

"Ya think?" he asked, as he started the truck, and then scooted a bit toward her. She met him halfway and gave him a gentle kiss, which quickly turned into more as she opened her mouth to accept his tongue. She pulled away, and popped the other peppermint into her mouth. Chuck sat there in amazement, the original peppermint in his mouth now.

"See, you made it," Sarah quipped. "I need a favor."

"Anything," Chuck said, a little more breathlessly than he meant.

Sarah chuckled. "I need a new hair dryer. We wouldn't want the folks in town to get the wrong impression."

"That would be awful," Chuck replied, still in shock over the peppermint. "That was kinda awesome," he muttered.

"Chuck, you ain't seen nothin' yet."

Chuck nearly wrecked the truck.

}o{

"You are not paying for my hairdryer," Sarah said, as they headed toward the checkout at Wal-Mart.

"If we're on a date, it is my duty to do so," Chuck replied.

She took it away from him and turned him toward her. "We aren't doing this," she said seriously, but with mirth in her eyes. "We do what we want, how we want, okay? If I want to eat barbeque with you, that doesn't mean we're engaged. If we're on a date and I need a hair dryer, then I am buying my hair dryer."

"So, what are we?" Chuck asked. "Are we dating?"

"We _are_ on a date," she replied with a shrug.

"Wait, you can't do this to me," Chuck began. She took his hand.

"What I am doing is dating you, and only you. What are _you_ doing?"

"I like that," Chuck said softly, a soft smile on his face. "I am dating you, and only you, as well."

"Good," Sarah said. "Because if you had answered something else, there may have been trouble, buster."

"We do seem to find enough trouble on our own, with me doing stupid things," Chuck admitted. Sarah grinned at him, gave him a peck on the cheek, and headed to check out. They got in the truck, Chuck started it, and turned it her.

"Are you ready?" Chuck asked. Sarah turned to him. "I know you like private, but..."

"I'm ready, as long as you're there with me," Sarah said

"I'm there," Chuck said. "You'll have to run me off, I'm so there."

"Promises, promises," she said teasingly.

He took her hand. "Promise," he said. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He turned and put the truck in drive. Sarah smiled, excited for what was coming.

* * *

A/N: Seems like things are picking for these two. Why don't we check in on next time and see how it's going?

"_Yeah," he nodded. "Hey, would you be offended if I introduced my self as Sarah Walker's boyfriend, Chuck Bartowski?"_

"_No," she said shaking her head, leaning in and kissing him on the lips. "But, you are so much more than that," she continued after she pulled away. "Our relationship doesn't define you. It's a part of you, but you are more than that, Chuck." He looked down, a little overwhelmed by the intensity of her gaze. She lifted his chin with one finger. "You are," she said softly. She gave him a peck on the lips, walked around the truck and got in. _

Oh my…..

Also, if you enjoy fanfic, come on over to the Chuck Fanfiction private group, where we talk about everything fanfiction related, I make a stupid amount of polls, and Joe and I argue about which Christmas movie is better. When you click the button there are three questions, please answer them. I'm the one who approves a lot of the requests so I have to know it's a real person, and not some bot. See you soon here and/or on the Facebook page.


	10. Ch 10, This is Ours

A/N: Seems you folks thing there is something going on at the Roberts Ranch AND Chuck and Sarah are progressing. Huh…I should probably ease up on their teasing, right? Don't roll your eyes at me like that….I can. I'm not going to, but I can. Ch 10, This is Ours

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

As Chuck drove back toward home from Owensboro, he knew there was quite a bit he was keeping from Sarah. In the past few days, he had put quite a bit together to figure some things out. But that only left more questions. He trusted her… he trusted her with his heart, and that was about the most important thing Chuck had left. He had to tell her what he knew, and maybe she could help him figure this madness out.

"Okay, time for my cards to be out on the table," Chuck blurted out.

"Okayyyyy," Sarah said. "Look we're dating, I don't need an entire dossier on you."

"You do for this," Chuck said. "Something's been killing livestock in this town for about a month." Sarah turned toward him. "Big Mike figured it was Graham's dog, and when he turned up dead, and then Graham, everyone figured it was over. The afternoon I met you, Big Mike took me to the dog, but he didn't want to tell me anything. Probably because it all seemed to start near Casey's land."

"Why Casey's?" Sarah asked.

"I have no idea, but Graham's land is between Casey's, Miss Clark's, and the Robert's farm," Chuck said.

"Has there been any animal deaths or anything weird at the Robert's farm?" Sarah asked.

"None that have been reported," Chuck replied. "I've spent all week at the Sheriff's office going through reports and pictures. About the only way to find out is to get one of them to slip or be on the farm and find any traces of an attack. Unless you knew exactly where to look, that would be hard."

"Can't you just go over there?" Sarah asked. Chuck pressed his lips together. "_Oh_… Jill." Chuck nodded. "There is a big barbeque there, Sunday afternoon."

"There is," Chuck replied.

She studied him a second. "You know Major's okay, right?"

His shoulders slumped for a second, and then he nodded. "I do now. I knew then, but I needed you to confirm it. I missed too many things… things I should have been aware of."

"How are you supposed to be aware of things, when they're being kept from you?" He turned to her, and saw she had that challenging eyebrow raised.

"I see, so this is how it's gonna be," he said, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

"It is," she said softly, he glanced at her and grinned, but the grin fell as he checked his rearview mirror.

"Something wrong?"

"There's this idiot trying to go around me, I think," Chuck told her. The road straightened out and the truck took off past them, in a hurry to some location.

"Ever heard of Shaw Oil?" Sarah asked, reading the writing on the side of the truck. Chuck shook his head. "Well, whoever was driving has a damn death-wish." She turned toward Chuck. "I have been invited and I get to bring a date." Chuck looked confused. "To the Roberts barbeque," she clarified.

"Do you know what that means, Sarah Walker, taking me to the Roberts barbeque?"

"That I will do what I please with who I please?" Sarah retorted.

Chuck swallowed. "Just to be clear, I am the 'who' in that sentence, right?" Chuck asked. Sarah nodded. "Good." She grinned at him.

"That's the spirit, Chuck."

"What about the what?"

"You aren't ready," she said with a smirk. Chuck felt steam coming out his ears with that one.

}o{

Chuck pulled into _Morgan's_, and turned to Sarah. "I think we might need backup on this one."

"How is Morgan supposed to back us up?" Sarah asked him.

Chuck grinned at her. "Jill doesn't like Morgan, but Morgan owns _Morgan's__,_ so the Mayor _has_ to invite him. But it's not so much Morgan I need."

Sarah thought for a second and then smiled. "Morgan's date?" she asked, grinning.

"Alex can snoop for us," Chuck explained, as he got out of the truck. "She's been taking classes, and soon I'll have an assistant."

"You really believe in her, don't you? And not just because she's Casey's daughter?"

Chuck stopped walking, and turned to her. "I know it's weird, but she's like the little sister I never had. She looked up to me, always. When mom and dad died… she offered me her teddy bear. She told me I needed something to hug and cry into."

Sarah sniffled hearing this. She reached over and took his hand. Chuck just stood there for a second. "You need a minute?"

Chuck shook his head. "No, but you do realize when Morgan hears we're going together, the whole town will be aware in a very short time?" Sarah shrugged.

"Does this mean I finally get to see that overlook on the river?" Sarah asked.

Chuck nearly fainted.

}o{

"So, you need Alex, not me," Morgan began.

"Buddy-" Chuck tried to cut in again.

"No, no, I got it," Morgan said, raising his hand.

"Morgan, obviously you have to go with her," Sarah said, causing Morgan to pause, and both men turn toward her.

"I do?" he asked. He shook his head. "I mean… I do!" He paused, and leaned toward her. "Why?"

"Yeah, Sarah, why?" Chuck asked. Sarah gave him a look, and Chuck just shrugged.

"I mean you have to be her cover, two young lovers sneaking off," Sarah replied.

"Sarah, did you know Morgan and I have a band named _duvet_?" Chuck asked. Morgan began to laugh. "It's a cover band."

Sarah rolled her eyes and looked at Chuck. "Really?"

"Questioning your decision?" Chuck retorted, a grin on his face.

Morgan looked from Chuck to Sarah and then back. "Heeeeeyyyy," he said, and they both turned to him. "Wait, you two… you _two_!? That's AWESOME!"

"I thought Awesome was Devon," Sarah replied. Chuck couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh, I am so going to this shindig, to see Jill see you two together!" Morgan rushed off around the corner of the counter, catching them both in a hug. Sarah grinned at Chuck, who looked a little embarrassed. "Thank you, Sarah," Morgan said softly. "Hey," he said, letting them go. "Maybe we can double date someday."

"Maybe," Sarah said. "We need to go, I have a date to get ready for tonight."

"You do?" Chuck asked. Sarah gave him a look. "Seriously, with me? And – and if so, where are we going?"

"The overlook," Sarah replied. Morgan's eyebrows about shot off his head.

}o{

Chuck pulled up at her apartment, to the side of her vet clinic, a few hours later. When he asked her about it earlier, she'd said if there was an emergency she was right there. She saw his wheels turning, and told him no. When he started to ask what she was saying no to, she replied that he was on call for this town enough, and he deserved to live in his family's home.

This was one of the many things he was still trying to process that had happened that day. They were together, full stop. Chuck was dating someone for the first time since Jill.

He looked down, and wondered if he was dressed up enough. She had wanted to go to the bluffs, which basically consisted of sitting on a hillside, under a tree, watching the river, the sunset over it, and eventually the moon bouncing off it. There was a secluded spot he knew, that he had permission to be on, that no one else did.

Longshore owned the land he was planning to take Sarah to. Chuck had done some work for him several months back, and Longshore told him to feel free and go up there anytime. Chuck had called him earlier to make sure the offer still stood.

"You know why they call me the extraction specialist, right?" Longshore asked him.

"No idea," Chuck replied.

"Take a girl up there, the sunset, the moon off the river… I'm extracting her from her clothes in no time," Longshore said with a grin.

Chuck eye's widened. "That's not what I'm doing," Chuck insisted.

"Hey, you do you, buddy," Longshore said, and hung up. Chuck nearly called Sarah and told her that it was a bad idea. He didn't know how to do… this. He looked down at his Chuck's, blue jeans, and t-shirt, and wondered if he was dressed too casually. He had done it on purpose, hoping she wouldn't think he was up there only for one specific reason. He really liked Sarah, she seemed to understand him the way no one else did. She cared for him for who he was.

Chuck looked over at the passenger seat, at the picnic that Gertrude had brought to his house fully packed earlier. Apparently, Morgan had told Alex, who told Casey and Gertrude. Gertrude assured him she had double checked the basket to make sure Casey had taken out the condoms. A knock on his window pulled him out of his thoughts.

"You just made me lose a bet," Sarah told him with a smile, when he rolled down his window.

"What are you talking about?" He happened to notice she had on jeans and her own t-shirt, making him feel much better.

"Alex bet me that you would be in your truck over analyzing things," Sarah told him. She gave him an amused look. "I replied, like an idiot, apparently, that my _boyfriend_ and I were communicating, and that wasn't happening."

"Boyfriend?" he asked, his eyes widening. A grin grew across his face that he hadn't the ability to stop.

"Boyfriend," she said, looking into his eyes. With that, she leaned into the truck and kissed him on the lips. Chuck was glad the truck was in park, or his foot would have slipped off the brake. She pulled away a bit, and looked him in the eyes. "What's wrong?"

"You know where you want to go tonight?" Sarah nodded. "Well, turns out the quiet place I found for us… it… well… it ah…."

"Are you telling me unmarried people go there to…" Sarah looked around as if to make sure no one was there. "Fornicate?" she stage-whispered.

"Fornicate?"

"How rude would you like me to get?" she asked in a flat voice and matching look.

"Listen," he began.

"No, you listen," she said, cutting him off. "Do you want to have sex with me?"

"No," he replied but raised his eyebrows as the amused look returned to her face. "I mean… that is…"

"Chuck… what happened to whatever we decide, we decide?"

"If we go up there," he began.

"We've already eaten barbeque together, so by this town's laws, aren't we already engaged?" Chuck dropped his head. "I do think it's sweet that you are worried about my reputation."

"Sweet?" Chuck snorted lifting his head. "Gee, thanks ma'am. I feel eight years-old now," he said, knocking his pretend straw hat up with his right hand and grinning.

Sarah crossed her arms on the window seal and leaned in. "Yeah, I find it sweet, sexy, and an extreme turn on that someone wants to protect me. That someone wants people to see me the way he sees me." Chuck gulped a little at her intense gaze. "That someone wants our time to be ours, and no one else's. So, whatever happens tonight Chuck," she said, snaking one of her hands out and grabbing his, never breaking her gaze into his eyes. "Let it be known I want it to be whatever _we_ want it to be, however _we_ want it to be, the way _we_ want it to be."

"I don't know that I'm ready for all of that," Chuck muttered. He looked up at her. "But, I'm ready to figure us out."

She squeezed his hand and smirked. "Baby, trust me, you aren't ready. But sometimes, you just have go with it." Chuck nodded. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Hey, would you be offended if I introduced myself as Sarah Walker's boyfriend, Chuck Bartowski?"

"No," she said shaking her head, leaning in and kissing him on the lips. "But, you are so much more than that," she continued after she pulled away. "Our relationship doesn't define you. It's a part of you, but you are more than that, Chuck."

He looked down, a little overwhelmed by the intensity of her gaze. She lifted his chin with one finger. "You are," she said softly. She gave him a peck on the lips, walked around the truck and got in. He sat there a moment. "We gonna sit here and eat our picnic dinner Gertrude made?" Chuck glanced over at her. "Really, you want me to believe you made this?"

"Oh, no," Chuck replied. "I was just thinking how glad I am I pissed Jill off enough that she brought you here."

"Me too, Chuck."

}o{

Chuck took the dirt road to the top of the hill, and parked beside a large oak tree. He got the blanket from behind the seat, and spread it on the grass and dirt. Sarah got the picnic basket and, when he tried to take it from her, she shooed him away. She lit a candle provided by Gertrude to try and keep the mosquitoes away.

They talked for hours as they watched the river flowing easily, listening to the birds. As the sun set, they listened to the whippoorwills calling, the cicadas and crickets playing their songs. Sarah glanced over at Chuck, and he could still make out the grin on her face.

"What?" Chuck asked.

"If it was anyone else but you, I'd think the goal here was-"

"To fornicate?" Chuck offered, making Sarah laugh. "Did I tell you the guy who owns this land calls himself the 'extraction specialist', because when he takes women here, he can extract them from their clothes in no time?"

"Ew," she replied, shaking her head. "I mean… it _is_ beautiful." She looked over at him, watching her. "But it must be old hat for you… you've mostly been looking at and talking to me."

"You're much more beautiful and interesting than that river," Chuck said with a shrug. "I find you absolutely fascinating."

"Chuck, I need to tell you something," she said softly. "We will not be having sex tonight in this magical place."

Chuck nodded. "I understand," he began.

"No, you don't," she said, shaking her head and smiling. "I don't want our first time for you to be wondering who might see us out here, or how you'd react to getting grass in your ass, or whatever else might make you freak out."

"Our _first_ time?" he squeaked.

"Focus, Chuck," she said snapping her fingers.

"Oh… I'm 'a focusin'!"

"What do you say we go back to your place?"

Chuck barely remembered the drive home. He was focusing on the road, because if he didn't, he was going to run the truck off the road. They got to his home, and he parked the truck and glanced over at her.

"I haven't changed my mind," she said, staring at him. "Have you?"

"I mean, I haven't, but… but is it what's best for you?"

The amused grin returned. "If not, we'll keep practicing until you get it right."

"God that's hot," he muttered. She laughed and got out of the car. He followed, ran back to close the truck door because he forgot to shut it, and met her on the porch, desperately trying to get the key in the hole to unlock it. She reached down, gently took his hand, and helped him slide the key in.

The dam broke.

The door slammed open, and they followed, wrapped in each other's arms. She shut the door with the heel of her shoe, and guided him down the hallway to his bedroom, kissing him the entire time. She backed him up until the back of his legs hit the bed, and they fell, her on top of him. She pulled away and looked down at him.

"Hi," he said softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey, you," she replied, running a hand through his curls. "You are okay with this, right?"

"Will you be gentle?"

"Do you want me to be?" she countered. Chuck groaned, and her lips were on his neck, finding his pulse point. She stopped, stood up, and pulled off her t-shirt, shucking off her shoes and jeans. "Come on, catch up," she said, gesturing towards him. Clothes flew past her head, making her laugh. She walked around to the side of the bed, where he had scooted his way up to the head.

"Do you think our clients will be upset by this… union?" Chuck asked. Sarah snorted.

"I really don't care," Sarah replied, kissing him.

"I like where your head is at," Chuck agreed, being pushed onto his back. She took his ear between her teeth, making him moan.

"Bartowski, use that mouth of yours for something other than talking," she hissed into his ear.

So, he did.

}o{

Ellie went to unlock Chuck's front door the next morning, when she noticed it wasn't secured. "I swear, he still won't lock the front door," she said to Devon.

"Babe, who's gonna attack him out here?" Devon asked as they walked in. They both heard the shower running. "Huh, he's usually up by now, think he had a late night, or an early job?"

"I've got the extra towels," Chuck said, walking out of the bedroom, wrapped in one, and holding two more. He turned his head and saw his brother-in-law and sister. "Oh… hi guys." He looked down at the towels. "I thought today was a good day for a really good drying off."

"Water is still running in the shower, Chuckster," Devon said grinning. Chuck looked at the door and then at Devon and Ellie. He dropped his head, opened the shower door, entered, shut the door, and the two heard some muffled voices. The shower stopped. "We interrupted shower sex," Devon said to Ellie. "I feel bad."

"Who is with him?" Ellie asked, excitement spilling out of her. "You don't think it's… Sarah, do you?" They both turned as the door opened and Chuck walked out.

"You two are gonna make this a thing, aren't you?" They said nothing.

"Oh, grow up, Chuck," Sarah said, walking out of the door wrapped in the two towels and going into Chuck's bedroom. "We're adults, they're adults." She disappeared into the bedroom.

Chuck turned to Ellie. "You gonna make this a thing?"

A few seconds later, Major started howling at the Casey farm, from a sound only he could hear.

* * *

A/N: Oh…..my. I would give you a scene for next time, but I have nothing written. I know, I'm a slacker. I hope you all enjoyed this, and come on back next time for the Roberts BBQ. It ought to be FUN!


	11. Ch 11, The Roberts BBQ

A/N: Well… that happened… now what?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

* * *

"I brought food to make breakfast," Ellie called out, as Chuck hurried into the bedroom.

"Thanks," Chuck yelled back, shutting the door. He stopped, seeing Sarah there, wrapped in her towels. "I should go." She lifted an eyebrow. "You are… well… you're…"

"Oh, good grief," Sarah muttered, shaking her head at him. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "What did we say, Chuck? Huh?"

"It's ours," he said softly. "But Ellie's here and making it…"

"Are you embarrassed by me?"

"What?! God, no, Sarah! How could you ask that?" She gave him a pointed look, and he ran his hand through his hair. "Ellie… well… she's gonna be Ellie."

"Do you want us to be together, Chuck?" Chuck nodded. "Okay, then we're together, and we are gonna do what we are gonna do." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Annnnnd, I'm pretty sure she's okay with it."

"I'm sorry," he began.

"No," Sarah said quickly, cutting him off. "We get through this together, okay?" He nodded. She gave him a quick kiss and headed over to where her clothes were. Chuck grabbed his clothes, and rushed out the door, back toward the bathroom.

She shook her head, watching him go. "This is gonna be a lot of fun," she muttered, a grin on her face.

Sarah dressed and exited the room, heading toward the kitchen. "Need any help?"

"Nope," Ellie replied, smiling at Sarah. "I got this."

"Ellie," Sarah began.

"Please, do _not_ apologize for that idiot," Ellie said, going back to the eggs. She gave them a flip, then turned back to Sarah. "He adores you, and… well… you should know Lou has called me a few times about you two." Sarah shook her head and laughed. "He's right, you know… this town does watch out for him. Probably _too_ much."

Chuck walked down the hallway, stuck his head in the kitchen, and left when Ellie made a "shoo" motion with her hand. He walked into the living room, and began to inspect the windows. "What is he doing?" Sarah asked.

"Being a smart ass, seeing if any windows were broken by my squeal," Ellie said. "Hey, I know what you're doing," Ellie yelled to him.

"Just checking the structural integrity," Chuck countered.

"Jill did a number on him, didn't she?" Sarah asked softly. Ellie turned back to her, and nodded. "She's an idiot."

"The biggest," Ellie replied. They turned, as Chuck opened the door and went outside. "I need to warn you, it's gonna be a lot of work with him."

Sarah held Ellie's gaze. "Worth it." Ellie's smile brightened the whole room.

}o{

What was he doing?

Chuck sat in the rocking chair, looking out over his land. He should probably mow, but Casey had sent him a text saying that if he did, Casey would murder him and let the hogs eat the body. Chuck was 75% sure Casey was joking.

Chuck cared for Sarah… a lot. She saw him for who he was, not what she wanted him to be. Not as what she needed him to be, as a status symbol. They were adults. They were having an adult relationship. A grin grew across his face, as he thought about last night's 'adult relationship'.

The door opened, and he made up his mind. He began to speak, while looking straight ahead, not trusting himself to say what he felt if he looked at his sister.

"Ellie, before you start, I care about her, a lot. Really, a lot, and I'm an adult, and you're an adult, and yes, I'm having an adult relationship with Sarah. Yes. I'm a little out of my depth with Sarah, but that's for us to figure out. So, while I'm happy that you're happy, you cannot butt into this."

"I care a lot about you as well," Sarah said softly, watching Chuck turn to her, shock on his face. "You're not out of your depth. And you're right… we _will_ figure it all out." She walked over, and sat in the rocker beside him. "After breakfast, would you mind driving me home to change?"

"Sure," Chuck replied. His expression changed to slightly mortified. "Sorry about all that."

"Don't be… it was kinda hot." Chuck grinned. "And… Ellie wants me to hang out with you three today, so… maybe instead of driving my car back, I could just grab what I'm wearing to the party tomorrow, and you bring me back here." Chuck looked over at her, not daring to speak. "Come on, carry the one… you can figure this one out."

"Do we get to finish that shower?"

"Mmmhmm," Sarah hummed. Chuck's grin grew.

}o{

Chuck pulled up into the field to park. He glanced over at Sarah, and then at the gathering of people. Chuck, Sarah, Devon, and Ellie had spent all day together Saturday. That night, Devon and Ellie headed home, and Chuck finally got the shower.

All day, his nerves had grown, not because of Sarah, but because there was no telling what Jill would say. Chuck believed in Sarah… check that, he wanted to. Knowing Jill like he did, he was afraid Sarah would listen to Jill.

"Do me a favor," Sarah said softly, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Only judge me for what I do, not what you think I might." Chuck's mouth dropped. "Chuck, I could hear you thinking from over here," she told him, a soft smile on her face. "And here's the thing: If I damn you for your actions with Jill, and what she tells me is true, that means you have to damn me for my actions with Bryce."

"But that's not right," Chuck began. He clamped his lips shut with an audible 'smack'. "Oh." The flat look he received pushed the point home. "Oh… I get it."

"Do you?" she asked, shaking her head. She reached over and cupped his face. "Chuck, I'm here, with you. _That's_ what's important." She opened her door and got out, while Chuck sat there for a second, thinking. He opened his door and joined her.

"She's gonna say some mean things," Chuck muttered.

"I've never been kicked out of a party for kicking the hostess' ass before," Sarah said, straightening the collar on his shirt. Chuck grinned at her. She took his hand, and led him toward the congregation of people.

People greeted the two, but as they made their way through the group, Chuck heard the whispers. The town was at work, wondering. He started to say something to Sarah, but she stopped when she saw Casey and Gertrude. As Chuck turned toward them, she wrapped both her arms around Chuck's one, and felt him tense.

"I got this," she breathed into his ear. Damn, did she.

Casey grinned at Chuck. "Shame Ellie can't be here to see this," Casey said, grinning as he took a drink. Gertrude swatted him on the arm playfully, but everyone agreed with Casey. "So, what are you doing here."

"Trying to figure out what in the hell is going on with the animals," Chuck said, glancing around. "Are you gonna tell me everything, or make me figure all of this out on my own?"

"So, as you know, we all live on this huge right angle," Gertrude said, not giving Casey a chance. He cut her a look, but at the same time looked… relieved.

"Right," Chuck agreed. He turned to Sarah. "So, when you come down the road, you hit Miss Clark's first, Casey's in on the corner, then the road goes left, and that's when you hit Graham's land, and then the Robert's farm."

"Ours and Miss Clark are more square tracks of land with ours being much wider than hers. I guess ours is more rectangular-"

"Gert, we don't need a geometry lesson," Casey cut in.

"I know, honey, but Sarah needs to understand how this all works, tract-wise, so she can help her boyfriend," Gertrude said patiently. Casey's eyebrows shot up, and Sarah bounced a shoulder.

"I mean, Casey, you of all people should know how much help he needs," Sarah replied. She wasn't looking at Chuck, but felt him ready to explode, or pass out, or faint, or whatever reaction he was going to have _this_ time, to her acknowledging their relationship. While she wished he would have more confidence, it _did_ do something to her knowing how excited he got over people knowing he was hers.

"Anyway," Gertrude said, a look of pride on her face aimed at Chuck. "The last two tracts behind the house are longer, thinner… Does that make sense?"

"Yes," Sarah replied. "And then Chuck's property backs up on the other side of all of that?"

"Exactly," Gertrude said. "Why does everyone have animals dying except for the Roberts?"

"That's what we're here to find out," Chuck said, glancing around.

"Does she know what she's doing?" Gertrude asked Chuck, throwing a quick wink at Sarah. Before she could answer, Gertrude grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. "I told you the right one was out there." And that's when it dawned on Sarah… she was meeting Chuck's _de facto_ parents. This wasn't just the town finding out, that wasn't the case. By them being here, together, it was Chuck telling the two people who cared for him like a son, that he had found someone, after he had been hurt. "Thank you," Gertrude mouthed to Sarah.

Sarah was moved, and she did the only thing she could, she embraced the two of them. If there was any question if the two of them were together, that question was gone out the window. Sarah wasn't 100% sure what it meant to be Chuck Bartowski's girlfriend, but she was ready to find out. She was ready to make that journey with him, and that's when it dawned on her: He was the only person with whom she was willing to do that.

She pulled away, as did Chuck, and Sarah took Gertrude's hand. Gertrude held Sarah's gaze. "Thank _you_ for being there for him." Gertrude smiled, a smile Sarah felt in her heart. She glanced at Chuck and back to Gertrude. "I have a feeling you're the reason my Chuck is who he is today."

Sarah didn't hear him collapse, but she saw Casey's eyes and Gertrude's smile to know the point she was trying to make was driven home. This was her guy, and she pitied anyone who tried to take him away from her.

"Careful, Sarah, he's not a toy," Gertrude warned. "Don't break him."

"If I do, I promise he'll enjoy me putting him back together," she retorted. If that didn't make him collapse, what would? She didn't know when she'd had so much fun. She didn't think anything could spoil the day.

"Sarah?" she heard. _Of course_ it would be him. She turned, and there was Bryce.

}o{

He had excused himself when Bryce had shown up. He had to, he had to be the guy worthy of her. Regardless of their current relationship, Bryce was someone she knew. Whatever relationship had been there, she had left with him as just an acquaintance or friend, and that was her business. That was the adult thing to do. He even did it in a way, he thought, that she could have stopped him if she wanted him to stay. He told her he was going to get a drink and let them catch up, and she had smiled and nodded. To be fair, she probably thought he needed a break after calling him 'my Chuck.'

Her Chuck. Chuck Bartowski was Sarah Walker's Chuck. What the hell did one do with that, except walk around with a big goofy smile on their face?

"You've got some damn nerve," he heard a somewhat feminine hiss behind him.

"Get thee behind me, Satan," Chuck muttered. "Oh, wait, you already are."

"Why the hell are you here?" she hissed again, as he turned to her.

"I'm a member of the community, and I'm not invited to the Robert's BBQ… you know, the one your dad throws to make sure he gets reelected?" Chuck had a smirk on his face. Today… today, Jill was not going to do this to him. Today, he was going to enjoy being out with the people who took care of him, and they were all here. So was Jill, but sometimes you had to step in cow manure to get through the pleasant sunny field. He was sure there were better metaphors, but he had no idea what they would be that would not equate Jill with cow manure.

"You've never come before," she argued.

"I came with my date, because she wanted me to," Chuck replied, as he was taking a sip of his ice tea, feeling very Kermit the Frog-ish at that moment.

Jill glared at him. "I see… You've finally given in to Lou, and her longings," Jill spat. "You two deserve each oth-" she cut herself off, as Chuck felt someone approach. No, not someone. _The_ one. He tried to shove that thought out of his mind, but he couldn't. She was… _The One_. Shaina Twain started playing in his head, and even _he_ wanted to roll his eyes at his cheesiness, but he didn't. Ellie had used the word _world-weary_ before to describe him, and she was right. Except now… now he wasn't. He had met _her_. He was _hers_. Someone wanted him. Someone needed him. An arm slipped around his waist, as he watched Jill's eyes grow oh-so-wide. He reached over for a glass, and extended it to her, never looking.

"This is unsweet," he said softly.

"Thanks, Chuck," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. She turned to Jill. "I'm not ready for sweet tea yet, don't know if I ever will be." Jill's eyes remained wide, as they switched from Chuck to Sarah and back again.

"And if you're not, that's okay, I got you," he said, gazing on her, perhaps overdoing it a bit. Judging by her grin, she knew he was, and was not only enjoying it, but encouraging it.

"You…." Jill choked out. They both turned to Jill, but Jill was apparently unable to form words.

"Did you and your ex-boyfriend have a good chat?" Chuck asked casually, causing Sarah to turn back to him.

She had a sad look on her face. "I don't know how I never realized there was nothing to him but superficial good looks." Chuck fought to keep the smile off his face. "I mean I'm a blonde, and he makes me look like a genius."

"Uh, you are," Chuck retorted, moving a strand of hair behind her ear that had escaped. "First in your class, remember?"

"Ohhh, thanks, baby," she said softly. Chuck snuck a glance back at Jill. He nearly didn't recognize her, because Jill's eyes were nearly bulged out of their sockets. "That's sweet."

Chuck shrugged. "It's true."

Jill just turned, and walked away. "Maybe she's going to see if her mouth can make words better somewhere else." Sarah reached up, and bopped him on the nose. "Woman, you did _not_ just bop me on the nose."

"I'll bop you wherever I want to," she replied with a salacious grin on her face. She couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face. God, she never knew 'breaking' someone could be so much fun.

"Chuck, Sarah," they heard. They turned around and saw Mr. Roberts standing there. "I… I apologize for my daughter…" He paused and gave Chuck a long look. "For everything."

"Mr. Roberts, you aren't your daughter," Chuck began.

"Chuck, no." Mr. Roberts swallowed. "She did you absolutely wrong, and too often I let her get away with stuff when I shouldn't have. I am sorry."

"No need to apologize, sir, but accepted."

"Thank you, Chuck." Mr. Roberts smiled, and looked around. "Having a good time?"

"I am, sir, but… I feel it's time for me to be absolutely honest with you." Mr. Roberts smile fell. "It's nothing terrible, sir, it's just a question," Chuck explained.

"Oh, I know what you're going to ask me, Chuck," Mr. Roberts said. "I've known it's coming, and I can't be shocked. I tried to get Tucker to keep it hidden from you, but I know you've been out there, constantly. I should have known once Graham attacked Sarah you'd never let it go." Chuck's eyes went wide. "I can't show you today, you understand?" Chuck shared a glance with Sarah, seeing her just as confused as he was.

"Sir, I'm not following," Sarah said.

"I'm guessing you want to see where my cattle were killed, right?" Mr. Roberts asked. Chuck nodded. "Tomorrow," he promised. "After this is over and no one's around, I'll show you what I know, and tell you what I know, but I promise you, I know nothing more than you."

"Thank you, sir," Chuck said, extending his hand. Mr. Roberts shook it. "I do have one question that I do need to know something about." Mr. Roberts raised an eyebrow. "Shaw Oil?"

"Tomorrow," Mr. Roberts said. "But there is someone here from that company." Chuck followed Robert's gaze. "His name is Nicholas Quinn."

* * *

A/N: Dun Dun Duhhhhhhhhhhhhh! This is fine, it's fine….Want a sneak peak at next time?

"_Some of us have clients to see," Sarah replied, smirking at him. He went to stand up, when she crossed the distance between them and kissed him soundly. Alex's eyes went wide. She released him, smoothed his shirt, and patted his chest. "I've been wanting to do that all morning."_

"_Let it be known I"m good with you doing that whenever, wherever." She winked at him, turned, and left. Chuck watched her go, a huge smile on his face._

"_You sure are in a better mood," Alex said to him, grinning. "Dad was right, you're less sulky when you get laid." The smile fell off of his face as she laughed at him._


	12. Ch 12, Shaw Oil

A/N: So obviously I'm going to answer all your questions this chapter….yeah, no. In fact, this chapter brings even MORE questions. I apologize for the length but I needed the cliffhanger. (I mean I DIDN'T, but I wanted it!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

* * *

"Recognize him?" Chuck asked Sarah softly. Sarah studied him a second and then turned toward Chuck. "From the other day in Owensboro?"

"If I do, I don't remember him," Sarah replied, smoothing a wrinkle on his shirt, watching him grin goofily. She turned to Mr. Roberts. "Mr. Roberts," she began.

"Cal, Sarah, please," he insisted.

"Cal, why is Shaw Oil here?"

"Because I thought I'd hit the motherload of oil," Cal replied.

"Thought?" Chuck asked. Cal nodded slowly.

"Thought," he replied. "Tomorrow, does two work?" Chuck nodded. "I'll see you two then… enjoy the party." With that he walked off, leaving the two of them alone.

"Do me a favor," Sarah said, making Chuck turn back to her. "That Quinn guy, make sure I'm never alone near him."

"Creep?" Chuck asked. Sarah shrugged, but she looked uncomfortable. "Do you know him?"

"Not that I know of, but there's something about him," Sarah replied with a shiver. She shook her head and gave Chuck a long look. "I'm not that kind of person, normally."

"Make you a deal: I'll stay by you, right until I take you home tonight… or you go to use the bathroom, because we aren't that close. We'll never be _that_ close."

"Deal," she said with a grin. "Should we go talk to him?" Sarah turned toward Quinn and he saw the two of them. He took one look at them and took off. Sarah turned back to Chuck. "Was it something I said?"

}o{

Chuck and Sarah talked to several people at the BBQ. Chuck was enjoying himself, even with the looks, the smiles, and the winks. Sarah never hid the fact that they were together, even for a moment, if anyone inquired. As the afternoon wore down, Chuck saw Bryce by himself, looking a bit lonely. Sarah was with Lou and a few others, so Chuck excused himself.

"Bryce," Chuck said, walking up to him.

"Chuck," Bryce replied. "What do you want?"

"Wanted to see if you're okay," Chuck replied, watching Bryce give him a shocked look. "I know how Jill can be at these things, trotting you around like a show pony."

Bryce dropped his head and grabbed his bottle of beer that was on the table. He took a swig, gave Chuck a long look, and pointed at him. "You got lucky."

"What do you mean?"

"You got away from all of this," he said, gesturing with his beer bottle. "Not the people, not the town, but the pomp and circumstance." Chuck nodded, understanding. "Everything with her is a damn production." He sighed, and his shoulders slumped. "It's all her doing, Chuck."

"What's all her doing?" Chuck asked. Bryce was clearly drunk. "What exactly do you mean?"

"BRYCE!" came the yell behind Chuck.

"It's Lucifer's demon spawn, isn't it?" Chuck asked under his breath, making Bryce laugh.

"Don't talk about my Satan-spawn girlfriend like that," Bryce replied, a grin on his face.

"Why are you talking to Chuck?" Jill asked. She had her dog in tow and he snarled at Chuck. Chuck had never wanted to punt an animal so much in his life.

"Fredrico," Chuck said, acknowledging the dog, and ignoring Jill. Chuck turned to Bryce. "They say those dogs can sense evil."

"Are you going to let him speak to your fiancé this way?" Jill asked. Chuck looked from Jill back to Bryce. Bryce gave a defeated shrug.

"You're engaged?" Chuck asked, thinking he had missed the announcement. "I didn't know, congratulations."

"We're announcing it today," Bryce explained. "It's why I'm drinking," he said, raising his bottle. "To celebrate." Chuck nodded, but didn't believe him. "If you'll excuse me." He pushed himself up from the table he was leaning on, as Jill had already turned and left. "She probably wants me to take her last name," he said in a stage whisper that Jill clearly heard by the way she bristled. "Bryce and Jill Roberts."

"Don't forget Fredrico," Chuck offered. Bryce pointed at Chuck as though he got it.

"Gotta go," Bryce said, taking off after Jill. "Do her right… God knows I didn't," and with that he stumbled off after Jill. Chuck didn't have a clue what in the hell was going on.

}o{

Chuck had been silent for most of the rest of the party. Cal announced the engagement and, to Bryce's credit, he pulled himself together; if you didn't know what to look for, you'd never know how drunk he actually was. Chuck and Sarah left the party, and headed to her place. Chuck was quiet on the drive, thinking.

He pulled up to her clinic/apartment, parked the truck, turned it off and turned to her. She had an amused look on her face. "Can I come in?" She fought off a smile.

"Chuck Bartowski, I swear, give you an inch you want a mile." Chuck's eyes went wide, and he began to stammer. "Baby, I'm playing with you." She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Sure, but I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Oh… OH! It's not that! I need to talk!" Sarah shook her head, opened the door, and led him inside. He went to sit on her couch, but instead, began to pace. Sarah sat on the couch, watching him think. He stopped and turned to her. "Listen, I'm going to ask you something, and it's not because I'm nosy, but trying to put some things together."

"Oooookay," Sarah replied.

"Did Bryce say anything… strange, to you?" Chuck asked. Sarah gave him a look. "I swear, Sarah, I'm not that guy-"

"No," she cut in. "How'd you know?"

"He was drunk as a lord the whole time, and he told me it was all her fault."

"What was all her fault, and who's the she? Jill?" Sarah asked. Chuck shrugged. Sarah took a deep breath. "He apologized." Sarah looked away and then back to Chuck. "He apologized, and said he acted like an ass, and I was the best thing that ever happened to him. He said he hopes I am happy."

Chuck came and sat down by Sarah, thinking. She reached over and took his hand. "And I am," she said. He glanced over at her. "I am very happy."

She pulled him in for a kiss that grew more passionate by the second. Chuck finally pulled away. "I thought you had to get up early tomorrow," he teased.

"You're worth it," she said softly, holding his gaze. "You need to know that."

"I'm beginning to understand." Her smile set things in him on fire. "I should go, because if I don't, I'm not going to want to."

"Stay," she said softly. "Please."

"Always," he replied just as softly, leaning back in to kiss her.

}o{

Chuck was sitting at Lou's eating breakfast, when the front door opened. "Chuck!" came the familiar voice. Chuck looked up to see his bearded friend. "Why are you wearing the same clothes as yesterday?" Lou tried to hide the laugh, but it was useless. "Ohhhh."

"Go sit with him, before you embarrass him any further," Lou ordered, whacking Morgan with a menu.

"Why would he be embarrassed for making sweet love to his girl?" Morgan asked. Chuck groaned and dropped his head on the table. "Too much?" he asked Lou. She gave him a look. "Too much." Morgan sat down as Lou rolled her eyes.

"Did you find anything yesterday?" Chuck asked his bearded friend.

"No," Morgan replied, shaking his head. "But that doesn't mean that livestock wasn't killed."

"It was a long shot at best," Chuck replied. "It turns out me showing up was probably enough of a diversion for you."

"Chuck, I don't think anyone cared," Morgan admitted, with a shrug. "I think you went to shove you dating Sarah down Jill's throat." Chuck chewed, a grin on his face. "How'd she take it?"

"Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head," Chuck replied, a satisfied smile on his face.

}o{

"I didn't realize you left a change of clothes here so that you could have adult sleepovers," Alex said, a smile on her face as he entered the clinic.

"I could fire you, you know," Chuck reminded her.

She sighed. "But then who would open the clinic when you're late?" Chuck tried to glare at her, but she ignored him. "Sarah called and said she would be here by 1:30."

"Thank you," Chuck replied, ducking into the store room where he kept a change of clothes.

"Go ahead and use the shower, we don't have anyone for half an hour!" Alex yelled. Chuck hopped into the shower, and quickly changed. When he came back out, he smiled as he walked up to the front desk. "Don't look Alex, but it's the enemy."

"If I'm the enemy, then I'm pretty sure you surrendered to me last night," Sarah said, crossing her arms and leaning on the counter.

Chuck mimicked her pose, bringing his face within inches of hers. "You two are seriously gonna do this right in front of me?" Alex muttered.

"He wishes," Sarah said, grinning at Chuck. "I had a thought about yesterday. Do you think that Shaw Oil truck was following us in Owensboro?"

Chuck's playful expression turned serious. "Come around," he said, and Sarah did. He offered her a chair, and she sat down beside Alex. Chuck grabbed a chair, swung it around and straddled it. His arms crossed over the back, his jaw on his hands, he asked, "If it was, why?"

"I don't know," Sarah admitted. "It seemed very important to Cal."

"I've never heard of Shaw Oil," Alex admitted. She did a search online and quickly found them. "They aren't the most reputable company."

"I don't suppose that there are any connections on there to the Roberts?" Chuck asked. Alex typed for a minute, then shook her head. "Do you think that's what Jill meant?" Sarah shrugged, glanced at her watch and stood up. "Gotta go?"

"Some of us have clients to see," Sarah replied, smirking at him. He started to stand up, when she crossed the distance between them and kissed him, soundly. Alex's eyes went wide. She released him, smoothed his shirt, and patted his chest. "I've been wanting to do that all morning."

"Let it be known I'm good with you doing that whenever, where ever." She winked at him, turned, and left. Chuck watched her go, a huge smile on his face.

"You sure are in a better mood," Alex said to him, grinning. "Dad was right, you're less sulky when you get laid." The smile fell off his face, as she laughed at him.

}o{

Chuck and Sarah pulled up to the Roberts farm at 2 o'clock as requested, but when they got there, chaos was evident. Chuck watched Big Mike and all three deputies having a conversation with Cal. Every so often, Big Mike would turn to yell at his two arguing deputies.

"It's like the keystone cops," Sarah muttered under her breath. Lester saw them, and started towards them. "Oh, God, the creepy one is coming this way."

"Lester," Chuck said, as he approached.

"Charles," Lester replied. "Why are you here?"

"Cal asked us to meet him here today," Chuck began.

"Sure he did," Lester said in an accusatory manor. "He's busy. You can talk to him later this week."

"Okay," Chuck replied, rolling up his window and backing up his truck while Lester continued to yell. Sarah laughed at the outrage on Lester's face.

"We're close to your place… why don't we spend the afternoon there," Sarah suggested. She opened the bag she carried, and he saw some clothes. "And maybe the night?"

"Sarah, are you sure?" Chuck began.

"_I_ am, are you?" He grinned, nodded and started toward his farm.

}o{

There was a pounding on the door as Chuck raised his head. "Whaz tha aful racket?" he heard mumbled beside him. Chuck glanced over at Sarah. "Make stop. Make it staaaaaph."

Chuck got out of bed, chuckling, and headed toward the front room. He pulled on a pair of shorts to cover his boxers. He wasn't putting on a shirt. If someone was gonna beat on his door at 5:30 in the morning they'd get what they'd get. He got to the front door and opened it. There stood Lester.

"Charles Bartowski," Lester began. "You are under arrest for murder and arson."

* * *

A/N: Ruh Ro.


	13. Ch 13, Changes

A/N: Lester did what now?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck.

* * *

Chuck stared at Lester for a moment, and shook his head, certain he hadn't heard him right. "Would you remind repeating that?"

"Chuck Bartowski, you are under arrest for murder and arson," Lester said again.

"That's exactly what I thought you said," Chuck said, slamming the door in Lester's face and locking it. He turned and headed back toward the bedroom. He didn't know what Lester was playing at, and frankly, he could care less. It was early in the morning, too early to be up, or if he was up, too early to be dealing with Sadie's version of Barney Fife.

He saw Sarah come down the hallway, a shirt and shorts on. "What did he want?" she asked, as Lester began to bang on the door again.

"Apparently, I'm under arrest for murder and arson," Chuck said, with a shrug. She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back to the living room as he tried to pass her. "Saraaahhh," he whined. "If we ignore him, he'll get bored and leave."

"Listen, we need to get this straightened out, because you've lit a fire in me, and I thought at one point I might die last night," she whispered into his ear. His knees nearly gave way. She laughed as she opened the door.

"Thank you!" Lester said. "Now-"

"Nope," Sarah said, cutting him off, holding her hand up in his face. "That's not how this works. Why are you here?"

"If you'll let me come in and arrest Chuck," he began. The look she gave him silenced him immediately.

"Where's your warrant?" Sarah said, looking at his hands, and seeing them empty.

"Well, you see…" Lester took off his hat, held it in his hands and studied it, clearly trying to come up with an explanation.

"You can come in, but you're not arresting me," Chuck told him, plopping down on the couch.

"You heard him," Lester said, barging through. Sarah rolled her eyes and shut the door. Lester stood, eyeballing Chuck, as Sarah plopped down beside Chuck on the couch, wrapping her arms around his arm, and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Now, exactly, what did Big Mike say?" Chuck asked.

"Big Mike said to come get you," Lester began.

"Did he ever actually use the words 'arrest him'?"

"Well, no," Lester said, staring at his hat again. Chuck groaned and looked up at the ceiling. "After they found the dead body in the fire, I assumed he wanted you arrested, you know, for killing your competition, and burning it down."

Sarah looked up at Lester. "I have been with him all night. The only fire he has been setting is the one in me." Lester's eyes went wide. Chuck found he had a stupid grin on his face. "Who's dead?"

"As if he doesn't know," Lester said, pointing at Chuck.

"HE HAS NO IDEA YOU IDIOT! I'VE BEEN WITH HIM THE WHOLE TIME!" Sarah yelled, making Lester cower in fear.

"Bryce," he squeaked. "Bryce Larkin is dead."

"What?" they both said in unison, sitting up, the sleepiness wiped from their bodies.

"Yeah, his body was found after the fire was put out at your clinic," he went on.

"Whose clinic?" Sarah asked. Lester gulped. "_Whose clinic?_" she repeated, intensity in her voice.

"Yours, Sarah," Lester said, fear in his voice.

}o{

Chuck stood there, watching the rubble. Big Mike stood beside him, as Sarah talked to the local insurance agent.

"So you were with her all night?" Big Mike asked… again. Chuck turned toward him slowly, giving him a flat look. "Right." Big Mike glanced around. "Well done," he said, poking an elbow into Chuck's ribs. Chuck's flat look remained, making Big Mike clear his throat. "Listen, I'm sorry about Lester. I had him come get you, because you were the last person who was seen talking to Bryce before the announcement, and I was hoping you knew something."

"He told me I was lucky I got away," Chuck told Big Mike. "He didn't seem that happy to be engaged." Big Mike chuckled. "Look, you know better than anyone how serious I thought Jill and I were, and I know you know how bad the breakup hurt. But he seemed… well… almost as bitter as I did at times after it was over. And he was going to marry her."

"Why the hell marry her then?" Big Mike asked.

"I have no idea," Chuck admitted. His eyes went wide. "Did he…"

"No, he didn't commit suicide," Big Mike said. He looked around to make sure the other deputies weren't close. "Someone broke his neck."

Chuck shook his head. "And then burned the body at Sarah's clinic. This is awful." He was watching her, patiently working with the insurance man, and she gave him a soft, sad smile. "There's only one thing to do."

}o{

"You may be the biggest idiot I know," Sarah said to him, a little while later. They were at Chuck's clinic. Alex sat in her chair between them, listening in, not even pretending that she wasn't. "I am not going to take over your clinic."

"I don't want you to take it over, but why don't you do all the small animals here, and I go on call for the larger ones?"

"Chuck, no," Sarah said, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "But I _will_ work _with_ you," she said, in a soft voice.

"Well, there's a reason I didn't offer that," he began. She raised an eyebrow. "I was gonna suggest that maybe you take the spare room at my place and that way, we wouldn't be together all the time."

Alex just stared at Chuck, amusement covering her face and slowly turned to Sarah. Sarah glanced at her. "Oh, please don't make me leave now," she begged Sarah. "This is the _good_ part."

"You know _I_ could make you leave," Chuck began.

"She's not leaving," Sarah cut in.

"But, I won't because I'm a good guy," he went on like he hadn't heard Sarah, but they both knew he had. "What do you think?"

"No wonder he's been single so long," Sarah said to Alex.

"I am standing right here," Chuck protested.

"But he _is_ being sweet," Alex pointed out.

"What do you think, press him on the clinic, take the spare room, and then press him in private on sharing his?" she asked Alex, pointedly ignoring Chuck.

"Careful, you might hurt him with all that pressing," Alex said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Fine, move in with me, work with me. But when you break up with me, sick and tired of seeing me all the time, it's not going to be my fault. I tried to warn you."

Sarah turned to Chuck, her smile growing. "What if I don't break up with you, and I like this arrangement?" Chuck's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. She walked over to him and took his hand. When she spoke her voice was calm, and soothing. "Baby, what do you think I've been saying all this time?"

"Isn't this a bit fast?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I enjoy being with you. Full stop. I enjoy working with you, finding out about you, and everything I discover makes me lo… fall for you more."

"You were gonna say something other than fall," Alex cut in, watching, eyes wide.

"Alex, do you want me to send you out?" Sarah asked, never taking her eyes off Chuck.

"You can't do that, you're not a member of this clinic," Alex retorted.

"Alex… we both know she is," Chuck said softly, watching Sarah's smile grow.

"Oh, I knew some time ago," Alex replied. "We were just wondering when you were gonna figure it out."

"Good news is, I won't need much as far as closet space goes," Sarah said grinning.

"She is right, you were gonna say something other than fall," Chuck pointed out.

Sarah gave him a challenging look. "Then don't screw up, and you'll find out one day."

"I find myself falling for you, Sarah, very, very hard."

"I'll catch you, and it won't hurt, I promise."

"Ugh, that's a lot of ladyfeelings," Alex muttered. They both turned and looked at her. "What?" she asked with a shrug. "I _am_ his daughter."

}o{

Jill wasn't sure when she'd had a longer day. First, Bryce's body was discovered, then arrangements had to be made. She told everyone she needed some space and went for a drive. She found herself in Owensboro, at a hotel that was off the main drag. She went to the front desk, gave the fake name she normally used, and got the key. She walked to the elevators, rode up to the fourth floor, got out, and opened her door with the key.

"About time you got here," came the voice inside the room.

"I was grieving," Jill said, shaking her head. "What the hell happened?"

"He was going to talk," the man sitting on the bed told her. He stood up, and as he rose, she smiled, seeing how he was as tall as Chuck, but filled out much more. "Besides, Quinn did you a favor. Did you want to marry that idiot?"

"He's become soft over the past few months," Jill said with a shrug. "Did he tell daddy?"

"No, I don't think so, but your ex and father were having some conversations." She reached up for him, and he bent down, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hopefully, planting Bryce's body at his ex-girlfriend's place will slow down Bartowski and Walker."

"They don't know anything. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed… he let me get away, after all," Jill said with a grin.

"More like I stole you from him," he replied.

She pushed away and looked him in the eye. "Daniel, he never had me."

}o{

Chuck and Sarah sat in Lou's having dinner, both tired from a long day that seemed to be a week long. "Sarah, listen… I need to say this."

Sarah put her utensils down, her arms on the table, and leaned in, listening. "Shoot."

"I need you to know, about what you almost said earlier… I know what you were going to say, and you never need to feel rushed saying that, or feel like I-"

"I love you, Chuck."

He stared at her, his brain trying to process what he had heard. Ever since Jill, he wondered if he would ever be loved, if he were honest, he wondered if he ever was loved… no, she didn't love him. Or if she did, it became something… perverted. Something he didn't recognize.

"Sarah," he began, trying to search for the right words.

Her hand took his, and he felt his body shaking. "I love you, and I haven't told you before because I wasn't sure if you could handle it. I'm not sure in your… current emotional state, that you are ready for it, but here's the thing: It doesn't matter. I do. I love you, Chuck Bartowski, and I'm going to keep telling you that until you accept it."

"Sarah," he tried to begin again, but he choked up. She squeezed his hand.

"It's okay, you don't have to say a word." She was smiling at him. "I am well aware of how you feel. Your actions show it. I know you'd do anything for anyone, but I'm pretty sure there's something special about me… about us."

"There is," he said, nodding.

"I mean it, it's okay. And when you're ready, on _your_ timeline, you say what you need to say."

"I really want you to move in with me, like, _move-in_, move-in."

"Okay," she said with a grin. "I don't have a lot of clothes right now. Can I borrow some shirts to sleep in?"

"Yes, all of them," he said quickly, making her laugh. "I mean…"

"I know, Chuck, I know." She squeezed his hand, then pulled back to get her fork to dig in to her dinner. "Eat up, buddy, it's been a long day."

It had been, and as terrible as it had been for Bryce, and her, it had been damn good for him.

* * *

A/N: Every time my daughter sees Brandon Routh on TV she mutters, Shaaaaaaaaaaaw. I feel all of you doing that when you saw that scene. Wanna sneak peak at next time?

"_Did someone send you a birthday email?" Sarah asked him._

_Chuck looked up from his phone, shock on his face. "Yeah….it's from Bryce."_

WHAT THE WHAT?!

Reviews, PMs, hate mail…it's all appreciated.

DC


	14. Ch 14, Birthday Gift

A/N: In all the time I have written, I have NEVER had more requests for a fic than this one. It quit talking, and when they do, it's frustrating. I know the story, (the ending) but this part, where we are went completely quiet. Now for anyone who thinks I will abandon a story I will not. (Except that one under ChuckQuinn and it became a different fic on the main account). It may take me awhile, but I will finish them. But I get it, I like Sadie, Kentucky as well. So let's see how our two heroes are doing.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Chuck

Chuck opened his eyes, listening to the noises outside, finding comfort in them as he always did. July had turned into August, and life had changed for Chuck Bartowski in ways he had never dreamed. He had a girlfriend, one who had told him she loved him. One who was currently lying on his chest, snuggled against him, like she had been every night since she moved in.

A couple of people in town had told Sarah about apartments for rent in town. When she told Chuck about them, she asked him if she should look into them, or not. She smirked, watching him trying not to beg her to stay. She then reminded him that he had invited her to move in, and as far as she was concerned, there were no take-backs on that move.

Business was booming at the clinic. Chuck was free to go on calls as much as he needed. Alex was becoming more and more hands-on since she finished her degree. And Daphne only called Chuck the wrong last name three out of four times, which everyone agreed was a great improvement.

Over the past few weeks, everyone had noticed Emmett hanging around more and more. Eventually, he asked Daphne out. She turned him down, but continued to flirt with him, confusing everyone in the clinic.

As for Bryce, no real leads were found, not that there were any real detectives around to track them should there be any. Things in Sadie seemed to go back to normal. But as with any murder in any small town, you could feel something bubbling just underneath the surface, waiting to explode. Add in the heat and humidity of August, the local K-12 going back to school, and Sadie was like a bomb, just waiting to go off.

Everything might have been fine if it wasn't for Sarah, who had a revelation one afternoon as Chuck returned to the clinic.

"Hey, Chuck," Sarah said, never turning around as he quietly entered. He had not wanted to disturb her or her patient.

"How do you _do_ that, seriously?" he asked, pausing in his tracks. She continued her examination, never looking up at him. "I was being extra quiet, not wanting to frighten you during your exam."

"First, even if you did, I have the hands of a surgeon," She began.

"You have the hands of a goddess," he said softly.

"We are so having sex tonight," she said, continuing her exam, and still not looking at him. He didn't faint, which was good. He was getting better about that kind of thing. "Second, you forget when you go out, you tend to come back with a certain… fragrance."

"_Eau de Poo_?" Chuck replied taking a whiff of his shirt. His eyes crossed and watered. "Jesus, that's rank," he said, somewhat choking.

"Hence, how I noticed you entered the room," Sarah said with a grin.

"How you didn't flinch is a testament to your olfactory senses," Chuck quipped, heading toward the shower.

"Keep that door open, I need to talk to you," Sarah yelled at him.

"Do we have that kind of relationship?" Chuck bantered. He heard the gloves being taken off, Sarah's examination apparently over. He heard her heels clicking down the hallway and then returning, stopping in front of the bathroom door.

"We seemed to, but if we don't…" she trailed off.

"See, my joke there, it went too far. I apologize." Sarah smiled at him as he hopped into the shower. "So, what's up."

"We never talked to Mr. Roberts," Sarah said. Chuck turned to her, slowly, his eyes widening.

"Obviously, there is a reason you ranked first in your class, Missy."

"Apparently you didn't?" she replied, smirking. He barked a laugh. "Think we might talk to him later today?"

"I think that can be arranged, provided I'm not needed anywhere else," Chuck replied.

"You okay?" She asked, legitimate concern on her face. "You look tired."

"I've been running since sunup this morning, it's like every animal decided they needed me today, and all of them big. It's one thing to move a small dog or a cat, but to hold down a sow, or try and help a horse… I'm just worn out."

"Oh, poor baby," she said, a slight pout on her lips.

"Good Lord, that's adorable," Chuck said in a rushed voice. Sarah giggled. "Let me finish this shower, and we'll go hunt down Cal. And then, I'm going home."

"_We'll_ go home," she corrected. "What if I give you a massage?"

"Woman, don't play with me like that," Chuck said, a warning in his tone.

"Chuck… I'm not," she said, turning and walking off. Chuck reached down and turned the water from hot to cold.

}o{

Chuck and Sarah found Cal a little later at Lou's. They slid into the seats across from Cal in the booth he was sitting in. "I knew you'd remember at some point," he groused. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything."

"See, that's not what you said at the BBQ," Chuck began.

"Chuck," Cal said, holding up his hand. "Things changed that day, for everyone. My daughter lost her fiancé-"

"She didn't love him," Sarah said, catching Cal off guard. Chuck turned to her, but he didn't disagree. He gave a nod and she continued. "I don't know what was going on with those two, but it was not love."

"How dare you," Cal began.

"Cal, don't," Chuck warned, his voice low and dangerous. "You all but admitted to us something was going on." 

Cal took a deep breath. "Chuck, Sarah, there's been enough death in Sadie. Leave it alone, please. These people, they don't play by the rules."

"What people?" Chuck asked.

Cal sighed, slid out of the booth, and started toward the door. "Don't be victims," Cal warned. "Stay out of it."

"Out of what?" Chuck asked. Cal walked out, never answering.

"I guess I should put that on your tab?" Lou asked, walking over. She saw Chuck's face, and slid into the table, across from Chuck. "Listen, I don't know anything, but that guy, Shaw, from Shaw Oil, there's something hinky about him."

"Hinky?" Chuck asked.

"Hinky," Lou confirmed. "I don't trust the guy, and you shouldn't either." With that, she got up and walked away.

Sarah turned to Chuck. "Even _I_ know what _hinky_ means," she said, grinning at him.

"Oh, I do too," Chuck replied, as his phone beeped, indicating an incoming message. He reached for it. "Huh, someone sent me an email. But my birthday isn't until next month."

"Did someone send you a birthday email?" Sarah asked him.

Chuck looked up from his phone, shock on his face. "Yeah… it's from Bryce."

}o{

A little while later found Chuck and Sarah at Bryce's rental house.

"The key should be under that flowerpot," Sarah said, reading the email, and directing Chuck where to look. Chuck lifted the pot and saw nothing. "Check on the bottom of the pot," she suggested.

"Let me hold it, while you do that," Chuck replied, lifting it higher. She felt around the bottom of the pot and quickly found it. She held it up, and he lowered the pot. She unlocked the door and they stepped inside to… a wreck.

"Shit," Sarah breathed, looking around. Cushions were cut open, their insides everywhere, furniture overturned, drawers pulled out and emptied. Sarah turned to Chuck. "What the hell happened here?"

"I have no idea," Chuck admitted. "And, I don't like the look of it." He sighed, and pulled up the number for Big Mike. "You might want to come to the house Bryce was renting. It looks like a tornado has gone through it. I'll wait outside." He hung up, and turned to Sarah. "You need to get out of here. There is no sense both of us getting swept up in this."

Sarah crossed her arms and leaned back on her heels, in a defiant pose. The look on her face told Chuck she didn't like that idea in the least.

"When the hell are you gonna get it through your thick skull that I'm with you, no matter how bad things get?"

"Sarah," Chuck began.

"Zip it, Bartowski," she said, and he clamped his mouth shut. "I don't run around falling in love with everyone, moving in with them, and sharing their clinic. Chuck, I've got your back. I'm here, regardless of how many times you try and take the bullet for us both. I'm here."

He grinned at her and shook his head. "God, I love you," he said softly. Both of their eyes grew wide as they realized what he said.

"Chuck, I get it, it was a figure of speech," she began, trying to walk it back for him.

"Sarah Walker," he said, cutting her off. He reached, and took her hands from where they were hanging after she had uncrossed them in surprise at his words. "I. Love. You."

"I love you," she said softly, slipping her hands from his, cupping his face, and kissing him.

"I would prefer you not make out at my crime scene," they heard Big Mike say, as they sprung apart from each other. Both glanced at each other, and smiled. When they turned back to Big Mike, he was shaking his head at them.

}o{

The three stood outside on Bryce's porch, as the state police were inside collecting evidence from the trashing of Bryce's former residence.

"Why the hell get an email now?" Big Mike asked.

"Maybe Bryce had some… thing, on his email, that if he didn't check in, it would send the email out," Chuck offered. Big Mike gave him a look. "You're right, it's crazy."

"No, not crazy. More like, knowing what he was doing might cost him his life," Big Mike said, looking off into the distance. He refused to look Chuck in the eye. Chuck followed his gaze, and saw the Shaw Oil truck sitting at the local motel.

"Mike, let me help," Chuck said. "We are hip-deep in this, whatever _this_ is."

"Nope," Mike replied.

One of the State Police techs walked out, and handed Big Mike a sealed tube. "This was where the email said it would be?" he asked. The tech nodded, and headed back inside. Big Mike opened it, shook out the paper, and unrolled it. He read for a second, gave a low whistle, and looked up at Chuck. "I don't know how you step in it some days and it not smell, but you did it again."

"You obviously haven't been around him much today," Sarah quipped, making Big Mike laugh.

}o{

"It's real," Roan said, examining the legal document. "I don't know this lawyer… huh." Roan looked up from his computer after typing a name. "They're out of Owensboro…" He paused and looked thoughtful. "Why would he be in Owensboro?"

"Did Graham ever go to Owensboro?" Chuck asked.

"Can you imagine anyone driving him in a vehicle that far?" Roan replied. Chuck shuddered. "Someone had to have brought a lawyer to him. Why, I have no idea."

"Wait," Sarah cut in. "I think I realized the question we should all be asking." Everyone turned toward her. "Who was all of Graham's land _supposed_ to go to in the event of his death?"

Roan looked at Sarah, with a grin on his face. "Jill Roberts," Roan answered.

"She'll contest this," Chuck said, gesturing toward the document.

"She'll lose," Big Mike said. "I know Chuck shot and killed Graham, but that was justifiable homicide. The land is his, legally. Chuck Bartowski owns Graham's land. But the real questions are why did Bryce Larkin have the will, who destroyed Larkin's apartment, and were they looking for the will?"

"They had to be," Chuck surmised. "But, not only that, there's a good chance it got him killed."

The room was silent for a moment. "Son, you say the word, and I'll destroy that document," Big Mike said. Chuck looked at Big Mike. "I'm not kidding. Bryce died for that. Why? And who's to stop whoever killed him from coming after you?"

"Me," Casey said, where he had been sitting in a chair, quietly listening to the whole thing.

"Me," Sarah said, putting her hand on Chuck's thigh, and squeezing it.

Big Mike looked at the two, and then back to Chuck. "Oh, you _know_ I've got your back, but are you ready to go through this?"

"Bryce sent me this for a reason, and until I know why, then yes. I'm keeping the land," Chuck replied. "Maybe that will draw out whoever it is that's doing all of this. Is the rabies outbreak tied into all of this?" Big Mike shrugged. "When's the reading of the will?"

"Monday," Roan replied. "In the meantime, let me contact the lawyer in Owensboro, see what I can suss out of her."

"Roan, don't lawyers have privilege with their clients?" Chuck asked.

Roan smiled at him. "Charles, it's me, and the lawyer is a female. This Diane Beckman will never know what hit her." Chuck shook his head.

A/N: I know, I know, not that long, but I got out the important part. Gonna try and keep this coming weekly. Do me a favor, take care of yourselves, okay, oh…WASH YO HANDS! Reviews, PMs, fingerpistols, whatever, they're all appreciated.


	15. Ch 15, Graham's Land

A/N: So why is this land a big deal? And who is this Beckman that Roan believes he can….woo? Yeah, you know.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

"Guess who?" Chuck asked, his hands over Sarah's eyes.

"Well, I would _think_ it's my boyfriend, and love of my life," Sarah began.

"Say that again, but slower," Chuck begged.

"But it can't be him, because he's _supposed_ to be at the reading of a will," Sarah continued ignoring him.

"You know that's just a thing on TV, right? What Roan was talking about was when he was telling her," Chuck explained.

"Hmmm," she said, stepping back into him. "These hands do smell like Lava, but my Chuck's hands smell like Irish Spring."

"Your Chuck?" he asked with a choked voice.

"My Chuck," she confirmed.

"Well," he said, clearing his throat. "I had to do a few things with some patients, and I made sure and cleaned my hands afterward. You know I keep a tub of Lava in the truck."

She reached behind him, her hand on his backside, making him jump. "You are the right height."

"I'm really enjoying how thorough you are being about this," he said in a low tone. Then his eyes went wide. "What are you doing?!"

"Well, if it _is_ my boyfriend, who I love, and is pressed so very close to me," she said, wiggling her backside against him, "I'm pretty sure he's got an idea."

"Not in front of the dogs," he whispered fiercely.

She spun away, and seeing the two dogs, and squatted down as they came up to her. She gathered them to her and gave them a hug at the same time. "Chuck," she said, looking up from between the two. "You know they've seen us having sex, right?"

Chuck scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, but they've looked at me weird ever since, and they're always tilting their head to the side like they're judging me."

Sarah threw back her head and laughed, making the dogs bark in joy.

"Wait," she said, sobering, and standing. "So, she's being shown the will today, right?"

"Yep," Chuck replied. He looked at his wrist. "In fact, she's probably seen it by now. Oh, before I forget, Roan wants to see us. It's apparently about this lawyer, Beckman."

"WHERE IS THE SON OF A BITCH!?" They heard from the front room.

"I see the president of my fan club is here," Chuck said with a grin.

"Do you think she barges back here, or just bellows from the front room?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, it's obvious how little you know about Jill Roberts," Chuck replied. "She is so barging-"

The door clanged open. "You sonofabi-"

"Who the hell do you think you are, barging into our offices, bellowing like a heifer with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, scaring these animals that may be in distress!" Sarah said fiercely, her eyes blazing. Chuck leaned back, enjoying the show. "I don't barge into your place of business – not that you have one, mind you – screaming and acting like a damn lunatic."

"How dare you," Jill said, her eyes wide. "Do you know who in the hell I am?"

"You're the loud mouth that's two minutes from going to jail for trespassing," Sarah replied. Jill's mouth bounced off the floor. "Get out!" Sarah said, pointing. Jill glared at Sarah, turned, and stomped out. Sarah turned, and found her face being attacked by Chuck.

"God, I love you," he breathed, when he came up for air a few minutes later. "Anytime, in front of the dogs, wherever… I'm yours, after that speech."

"Chuck," she said with an eyebrow tilted, amused. "Who are we kidding? You were mine _before_ that speech." Chuck's brain locked and crashed at her calling him _mine_.

}o{

"Okay, Trooper, you are good to go," Sarah said a little later. The dog leaned forward and licked her face, making Sarah giggle.

"Hey, that's my girl," Chuck said.

"Charles Bartowski!" Miss Lane said. "I thought you were a modern man, now you're acting all caveman-y, calling her 'my girl'".

"I _am_ his girl, and he's _my_ Chuck," Sarah said with a shrug.

"Of course he's your Chuck, honey, we all know that," Miss Lane said with a wink. "You just can't give them an inch, because they'll take a mile, and get the milk without buying the cow."

Sarah felt Chuck turn red behind her. "Maybe I'm talking the bull out for a ride, and making sure he lasts more than eight seconds," Sarah replied.

Miss Lane grinned at her. "You better propose to this one tomorrow, Chuck. She's a good one."

"She's the best, and I really don't know what she sees in me," Chuck began, when both women turned to him, glares on their faces.

"May I, dear?" Miss Lane asked.

"Of course," Sarah replied. "I get to yell at him the rest of the day."

"Now wait," Chuck began.

"Charles. Irving. Bartowski." Miss Lane began.

"Eep," Chuck squeaked.

"You have been nothing but a fine, upstanding young man, who has looked out for this community for years. We know you don't get paid like you should," Miss Lane began.

"Money's not that important to me," Chuck squeezed in between Miss Lane's breaths.

"You work ridiculous hours," she continued, ignoring his protests. "You look like you have slept in months, some days."

_That's my fault_ Sarah mouthed, where Miss Lane couldn't see her. Chuck had to hold his face still to not burst into laughter.

"And you are a good man." She paused, reached over and cupped his face with one hand. "Your mom and dad would be so proud of you." She looked at Chuck, and then at Sarah. "They'd also be prouder, if you made an honest woman out of her," she said in a very direct tone.

"Maybe _I'm_ not ready," Sarah offered. Miss Lane turned to her and gave her a look. "What?"

"Honey, if he asked, and you didn't say yes, you and I would have a _loooooooong_ talk."

"I tried to warn you, Sarah," Chuck began.

"Hush, you," Miss Lane said. "Can't you tell that girl wants you to ask, but she just doesn't want to pressure you?"

"And you can?" Chuck asked, curious.

Miss Lane shook her head at him. "You're a smart one. An idiot, when it comes to women, but a smart one. You'll figure it out." With that, she turned and left. Chuck watched her go, and then turned to Sarah. The look on her face confused him. It was neutral. He thought she'd be upset with Miss Lane for what she was suggesting, or find it funny.

"Sooooo… is that something… you're interested in talking about?" Chuck asked.

Sarah turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Is that something _you're_ interested in talking about?" Sarah countered. Chuck's eyebrows nearly shot off his head.

"Uh, boss… bosses… mom, dad," Alex said, sticking her head in the door. "Big Mike wants to talk to you two."

"To be continued?" Chuck asked.

"Looks like that's up to you," Sarah replied with a shrug, as she headed toward the door. Chuck stood there for a moment, wondering if he messed up.

}o{

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but you should know Jill wants to press charges," Big Mike said, trying to hold a straight face.

"What charges?" Sarah asked, crossing her arms, and looking just this side of pissed.

"Terroristic threats," Big Mike replied. Chuck dropped his head, his shoulders shaking from laughter. "She also wants to file a murder charge against Chuck."

"Has anyone told her being the daughter of the mayor gives her no actual authority?" Sarah asked, growing more irritated.

"You know, I think I did once," Chuck began. "I also think that might be when she dumped me."

"I knew I liked you," Sarah said with a grin.

"Chuck, you might wanna go talk with Roan," Big Mike said, in a more serious tone. "I don't like where we seem to be headed."

"How about we all go," Chuck began, as the door opened. Roan walked in, followed by a short red-haired lady. "Roan," Chuck said with a nod. "We were just coming to see you."

"Charles Bartowski?" the smaller woman asked. Chuck nodded. "Diane Beckman, lawyer of Bryce Larkin, and Langston Graham. I have something you need to see."

}o{

"Let me begin by saying this whole thing is very odd, but I am following my former client's instructions," Beckman began. The group was in a small conference room Chuck had built onto the clinic. He always wanted a space to talk to owners, when it was time to make some tough decisions about their pets. "Bryce approached me a few months ago about representing him, and Langston Graham, because he felt… well, why don't I just let him tell you." With that, she hit play on the DVD player.

Chuck watched the TV as the video began. Bryce sat back onto his couch where he had apparently just turned on the video camera.

"_If you're seeing this, then… then I'm probably dead." _Bryce took a breath. _"I owe you an explanation. You see, it's all my fault about Jill. I had a problem, Chuck, gambling. I got in way over my head__,__ and I ended up owing people. I ended up owing Daniel Shaw's people. I was looking for a way out, any way I could find, when Jill told me about the oil she though__t w__as located in Sadie, on her farm."_

Sarah looked over at Chuck, who was watching intently.

"_I kept showering her with gifts, and eventually got her to agree to go to Mississippi to one of the riverboats that Shaw's family owned. When they met… it was like… it was like they were just drawn to each other. I had introduced them, and within a half an hour, she was with him, and I was on the floor of the casino, by myself."_

Chuck winced at hearing the story. Sarah took his hand in hers and squeezed it.

"_She was never really with me, Chuck. She was his, but I owed him so much, I had no choice."_

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Chuck said to Sarah.

"Does she care about anything other than money?" Sarah asked.

"_She once told me, seeing what you had been through… it was what drove her, to make sure she never had to rely on others. Her and Shaw__,__ they became… driven_,_ to make__ as much money as they could, however they could__. A__nd once they found out that there was oil in Sadie, they went to the next level."_

Bryce began to chuckle and smirk. _"And that's when Shaw found out she had screwed up. There _is_ oil in Sadie, but it's on Graham's property."_ Chuck's eyes went wide. _"They thought __they__ could get to it through Robert's property, __using directional drilling,__ but they were wrong. That's why I sent you his will, Chuck. When I found out they were going to release rabid animals onto Graham's land to get him to sel__l…__ I brought a lawyer to Graham's, told him what Jill did to you, and he rewrote his will. I thought he'd give the land to Casey__,__ but he decided on you."_

He looked away for a moment, regret on his face. _"I had no idea that he would get rabies, I had no idea what would happen to Sarah, or that you'd have to shoot him__. B__ut what I _did_ know, was that now__,__ they're screwed. But, if you're seeing this, and I'm dead, be careful, because you could be next."_

Bryce leaned forward to shut off the tape, and then leaned back, reconsidering. _"I'm really sorry, Chuck__. Y__ou didn't deserve to be treated the way she treated you. If you are seeing this, I probably got what I deserved__. B__ut you didn't deserve what happened __to__ you. I'm sorry."_

This time he did lean forward and shut off the tape. Chuck and Sarah just sat there for a second, stunned. They turned to Beckman.

"Does it make sense?" Beckman asked.

"Yeah, it all does," Chuck said, nodding. He turned to Big Mike. "Does it to you?"

"Oh, yeah," Big Mike answered like what he just saw was nothing. "Daniel Shaw, no big deal. Just a connected mobster." Chuck's eyes went wide. "No big deal." Chuck looked over at Beckman.

"I really think it's a big deal," Beckman said.

* * *

A/N: This is fine, this is fine. Right?


	16. Ch 16, Life of a Vet

A/N: I know I've been trying to write fluffy stuff right now, but this chapter had always been planned. So we're going to do it, because it's a part of the story and needs to be told.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

The door opened. Alex stood there, shock on her face. "Chuck," she said, tears in her eyes. "It's Lucky."

"Damn it," he hissed, and rushed out of the room. Sarah turned to Big Mike.

"That's Lily's dog," Big Mike said, rising from his seat. Sarah jumped up and hurried after him. She got to the front room in time to see the little girl, crying her eyes out, handing her dog's limp, broken form to Chuck.

Chuck took the dog, and asked Alex to join him in the examination room. As he locked eyes with Sarah, he mouthed_stay with her please_. Sarah gave a head nod, as Chuck and Alex went to the back room.

"Chuck," Alex began.

"You need to call Elizabeth," Chuck said. "They need to know Lily is here, and we'll watch her until they get here."

"Chuck," Alex began again.

"Lucky is dead," Chuck said gently. "I'll talk to her, just give me a moment to get myself together." Alex nodded as she headed back to the front. Chuck gently laid the body on the examination table, and looked down at Lucky. "I'm so sorry, boy."

He took a deep breath, walked over to his office, and opened a storage cabinet. He pulled out a small pamphlet he had made, that had the _Rainbow Bridge_ poem on it. He looked back at Lucky. "I don't think this is gonna be even close to being enough." He just stared at the limp body. "Don't worry boy, I'll stay with her until her parents get here." Chuck gave Lucky a sad smile, and headed for the front room.

"Mr. Chuck, is Lucky okay?" Lily asked, as he entered the room. Chuck glanced at Alex, who held up five fingers, which he assumed meant it would be five minutes before her parents got here. Chuck turned back to Lily, took her hand and led her to the seats in the waiting room. He patted a seat beside him, and she sat.

"Sweetie," Chuck began, and her eyes filled with tears. Chuck held his hands out, and Lily climbed into his lap, and began to cry.

"Is he dead?" she asked between sobs.

"He is sweetie, and I'm so sorry." Lily sobbed. Chuck held her, placing his chin gently on her head, as she cried against his chest.

"What can I do?" Sarah asked Alex, softly.

"Nothing," Alex replied. "While he hates this, he's the best at it. The only thing you should do is probably run."

"Why would I run?" Sarah asked.

"Because watching that – him caring for a child that's not even his – you and I _both_ know that you're wondering what he would do for his own."

Sarah turned slowly to Alex, who was grinning. "Sarah, we both know what you want, even if he doesn't."

"That's the problem," Sarah replied.

"Have you, oh, I don't know, _discussed_ it with him? Shown him the… benefits?" Sarah grinned at Alex, and then turned back to the two in the lobby. "You want to go hug them, don't you?" It was more statement, than question.

"I do," Sarah replied. "But I think she's more comfortable with him."

"You might want to go fill in the group in the conference room," Alex offered.

Sarah nodded and left, as the door opened. Tim, Lily's dad, and Elizabeth walked in. Chuck looked up at the two, and gave them a sad smile in greeting.

"Lily, sweetie?" her mom said. Lily clambered off Chuck's lap, and launched herself at her mother.

"Chuck, thank you for calling, and being here for her," Tim said, offering Chuck his hand. Chuck shook it.

"I'm so sorry," Chuck began.

"Pete called us on the way here," Tim explained. "He told us what happened. He's devastated." Tim paused. "She's gonna wanna bury Lucky," Tim said, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"I can get Lucky in a container to bury," Chuck said. "You're welcome to come with me, or stay-"

"Let's go," Tim said. Chuck nodded and led him to the back. When they got to the back, Tim ran his hand through his hair, and huffed. "Sorry, it's just… I can't _fix_ this."

"No, you can't," Chuck agreed. "All you can do is be there for her."

"Did he suffer?" Tim asked softly.

"I don't think so," Chuck replied. Chuck went into the back room and found the container he was looking for. "Did you want to put Lucky in there, or?" he stopped seeing Tim's face. Chuck nodded, picked up Lucky, and gently placed him in the box. He closed it up and turned to Tim. "There you go."

"What do I owe you?" Tim asked. Chuck shook his head. "Chuck, I know damn good and well, that container is a special one to bury pets in, and they aren't free."

"Fine, 20 bucks," Chuck replied. Tim gave him a look. "I get them bulk," Chuck replied with a shrug. Tim shook his head, pulled out a twenty from his wallet, and gave it to Chuck. Chuck pushed it into his pocket. "Hold a service for him… she'd like that."

"Good idea," Tim said. "I'm gonna go put him in the truck. He shook Chuck's hand again. "You're a good man, Chuck Bartowski." With that, he left, taking Lucky.

Chuck went into the front room and Lily rushed to him, hugging him. "Thank you," she said softly, her tears not flowing as heavily as earlier. She pulled away and Chuck crouched down.

"Remember, it's okay to grieve him and miss him, but you had better remember to go run around outside the way he liked," Chuck said, bopping the end of her nose.

She giggled and grinned through her tears. "I will," she said, and gave Chuck another hug. Lily headed to the door as Chuck stood. Elizabeth pulled Chuck into a hug.

"This town doesn't deserve you," she said softly, kissing him on the cheek. She gave him a thankful smile, and led Lily outside. Chuck pulled out the twenty, and gave it to Alex as she walked up to him. Alex took it, and gave him her own hug.

"They're right, you know," Alex said, heading back to the desk. He stood there, looking down at the floor.

}o{

Chuck had asked Sarah if she minded him leaving early to go home, and clear his head. She told him she'd see him there, shooing him on his way. She later pulled up at his house, and found him sitting on the porch, rocking in his chair.

"Hey, Sarah," he said softly, a sad smile on his face. "I made dinner, and put your plate in the oven."

"Sorry I was so late," Sarah apologized. "We had an emergency."

"I'm so sorry, I should have-"

She cut him off with a soft kiss. "Chuck, Lily and her family came back to ask me to go with them to the animal shelter in Owensboro."

"Did they find a new dog?" Chuck asked, a bit of a grin on his face.

"A puppy that they are now calling… Flash," Sarah replied.

"Flash," Chuck said, nodding. "I like it."

"I'm gonna grab my plate, and join you out here, if you don't mind?"

"I would prefer you join me, if I'm being honest," Chuck replied. She headed inside, noticing the rifle leaned against the doorframe. She found her plate, still warm, wrapped in tinfoil, in the oven. She pulled it out, poured a drink, and walked outside, sitting in the rocking chair beside him. "It's quiet," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.

He pointed towards Graham's land. "It's quiet over there. See the dogs?" he asked, gesturing toward them. "They're not lying down; they're sitting there on their haunches."

Sarah listened closely, listening to the night sounds, realizing there was little coming in the direction of Graham's land. "What does that mean, Chuck?"

"Graham got rabies somehow," Chuck replied. "Remember the cows and how this all started?"

"I seem to remember that, around the time you commented on my melons," Sarah replied, innocently taking a bite of her green beans. Chuck snorted in laughter. "What do you think is going on?"

"No idea," Chuck admitted. "But I don't like it. I don't like it at all."

"Are you okay?" she asked, making him turn to her. "It's been a bit of a run for you." Chuck nodded agreement. "You have Graham's land. You found out Bryce was probably killed for what he knew. You had to deal with the death of Lucky, and handle Lily dealing with it."

"You forgot something," Chuck said, looking straight ahead out into the night. He turned to her, his eyes holding hers. "I was told someone wants me to marry them."

"Chuck," she began.

"The person who has shown me love; the person who has shown me that I have worth; the woman I love with all my heart; the one who dared have BBQ with me, knowing what it would do to this town." Sarah chuckled, her eyes misty. "The woman who believes in me. I was told she wants to marry me."

"What do you think about that?" she asked softly.

"What do I think?" Chuck asked in response, and leaned back in his chair. He blew out a breath. "What do I think?" he repeated. "I think that in my wildest dreams, I'm not sure I can ever believe it. I think that I would be the luckiest man in the world if she did. I think that I might be scared to ask her, because what if she said no?"

He swallowed, and turned his head to look at her, finding a smirk on her face. "Chuck," she said, emphasizing the _k._ "Seriously, when have I ever said no to you?"

Chuck nodded slowly. He slipped out of his chair, and dropped down to one knee in front of her. Reaching into the pocket in his jeans, he pulled out a ring.

"Sarah Lisa Walker, would you marry me?"

She leaned down, cupped his face with her hands, and kissed him on the lips. "Yes, Chuck," she said pulling away slightly, giving him a smile. "Yes."

The dogs barked their approval, as she leaned in and kissed him again.

* * *

A/N: Wash your hands, seriously. Take care of yourself, see you soon.


	17. Ch 17, Eyes and Ears Everywhere

A/N: So the last chapter…a bit of heartache, a bit of smiles, but this is a small town. Do you think Chuck may have forgotten about something?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

Chuck walked into the diner the next morning to get them some breakfast. He was whistling _Feeling Good,_ a smile on his face. Last night had been… magical. He even felt like doing exploding hands, and making a make-believe explosion as he said it. He was in love, he was getting married. It was insane. In all the time with Jill, he had _never_ felt like he did when he was with Sarah. Her love for him made him stronger, made him see himself the way she saw him. It made him believe in himself in a way he never had.

"Well, don't you look proud as a peacock?" Lou said with a smirk, as he entered the diner. "Here you go, on the house."

"Wha?" Chuck asked, confusion on his face. "I only wanted to get coffees, and a croissant for Sarah," he said, looking at the two full breakfast platters that were boxed up for him.

"Here's her croissant," Lou said with a grin, holding up the bag. "I figured you two young kids could use the food to fuel your busy, busy day."

"Do we have a lot of animal births or appointments I don't know about?" Chuck asked.

Lou smirked. "You really don't have a clue, do you?" she asked. She leaned in towards him. He did the same, feeling like she was about to tell him a very important secret. "Chuck, it's _Sadie_." She leaned back, with a knowing smile on her face.

"It's Sadie," he repeated, confused. "It's Sadie," he said again, and then something clicked for him. His eyes grew wide and he turned to Lou, who was trying not to laugh at him. "IT'S SADIE!" he bellowed, running from the diner, leaving the food behind.

"Want me to take it to him?" Fred asked, drinking his coffee.

"Nope… Watch the place, will you? I have to see this," Lou said, putting the food in a bag. She grabbed it, and the drink carrier, and headed out the door.

"Don't mind at all," Fred said, getting up to refill his coffee.

}o{

"It's Sadie," Chuck said, bursting through the front door. Three women turned to look at him, as he skidded to a stop.

"Chuck," Sarah said with a grin, that screamed, _WHAT THE HELL?_ "Your sister is here to see us."

"Yeah," Chuck said, catching his breath. "I just put two and two together."

"God, you are so clueless," Alex chuckled, earning a glare from Chuck that she promptly ignored.

"Chuck," Ellie said, turning to him, tears in her eyes. "Chuck," she repeated, walking toward him, pulling him into a hug. "Baby brother," she said softly.

"Moron," he heard behind him, as Ellie let him go, and he turned. Casey grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. "You gotta tell me these things ahead of time. I nearly cried in front of Gertrude," he said softly into his ear.

"Don't let him lie… he did cry," Gertrude said, joining the hug. Sarah was watching, tears in her eyes, as she felt herself being pushed. She turned and saw Ellie smiling, pushing her toward the group hug, and the next thing she knew, she was consumed into it.

"Welcome to the family," Chuck got out. "If you wanna run, you best do so now."

"No," she got out, as everyone let go. "I'm in, for life." Chuck smiled at her.

"CHUCK!" Morgan yelled from the doorway. "GROUP HUG!"

}o{

"So, let me get this straight," Chuck began a little while later. The whole group had moved over to Lou's, the clinic closed for a bit. "I go to the bank to access the lock box, and Mrs. Price calls you?" Chuck asked Ellie.

"Right," Ellie replied, nodding. "She wondered if I knew you were getting into mom and dad's belongings."

"Does she know how old I am?" Chuck asked.

"I do," Sarah replied, making the whole table burst out into laughter. Chuck turned an interesting shade of red.

"So, I called Alex," Ellie continued, winking at Sarah, "who told me of the conversations going on between her and Sarah."

"What conversations?" Chuck asked, looking at Sarah.

"The ones where her ovaries were threatening to explode, when you were with Lily yesterday," Alex replied. Sarah turned a matching shade of red. Chuck looked a little surprised, but didn't push the topic.

"Obviously, you're as observant as always, little brother," Ellie chided. Chuck shrugged. "So, I called back to the bank, and it was then confirmed that you were getting out the ring."

"Ellie texted me," Alex said, picking up the story. "I told mom and dad, and waited 'til this morning to tell Morgan, because… well…" she looked over at him.

"Good plan," Morgan said. "I would have gone right over to Chuck's, and probably would have interrupted any private celebrating."

"You can remove the probably," Sarah muttered, watching Chuck's face turn red, again.

"Dear Lord," Ellie said, shaking her head. "You are going to keep him on his toes."

"And back," Chuck added, making Sarah's eyes go wide, and her face turn red again, as well.

"Nothing wrong with-" Casey began, but Gertrude clamped his lips shut with her fingers, shaking her head. The entire table was bursting out in laughter.

After a few minutes, everyone sobered up. "Wait, how did you know?" Chuck asked Lou.

"Miss Price," Lou replied. "She called me immediately after talking to your sister. I have no idea who else she would call after me."

"Mr. Roberts," Big Mike said, as he walked into the diner, having heard the tail end of the conversation. "While I am happy for you, you should know your decision, or timing of it, does bring some… issues."

Chuck turned to Sarah. "Have you got a husband I don't know about?"

"Two," Sarah replied, not missing a beat. "But I'm fairly certain that the divorces were legal." Chuck's eyes went wide, and then he saw the grin on her face. "No, you doofus."

Everyone was laughing but Big Mike. "Big Mike…what is it?" Chuck asked, getting serious.

"Son, you realize that someone could interpret your inheriting that land, and now marrying her, makes it look like you two were in cahoots in killing Bryce?"

"Who would think that?" Ellie asked. The door slammed open, and Jill stood there. "Oh, Beelzebub… that was a rhetorical question."

"Don't you dare," Jill began, in an almost growl at Ellie.

"Shut your pie hole!" Ellie snapped, shoving her chair back and standing in one motion, making the eyes of those who knew her grow wide. They had never seen her like this.

"For _years_ you played my brother, used him for your own well-being, and you have the _gall_ to walk in here, on his _happiest day ever,_ and say a _thing_ to him? You can go the same way you came in: On your belly, like the snake you are!"

"Arrest her too!" Jill yelled.

"Oh, shut up, Jill!" Mike snapped, looking tired. "You don't have the authority to tell me to do anything!"

"They have no alibi!"

"I'm his alibi!" Sarah said, standing and pushing her chair back. "And might I remind you, it was _you_ who wanted me here!"

"It was Bryce's idea, so for all I know, you were in on it!"

"Why the hell do you care, you loved him about the same way you loved me," Chuck said, still seated, his arms crossed. Everyone's jaw dropped as they turned toward him. "Don't even start, Jill. Just don't. You did to him what I was lucky you didn't do to me. You drained him like a succubus. You drained him of life, of all usefulness, and when he fought back, you, or your boytoy, had him killed."

Jill's eyes went wide. "Chuck," she began.

"I know… big, bad Daniel Shaw. I know, I've heard." Chuck stood, and drew himself up to full height. "You know what, I hope you two are happy together, because you deserve each other. I hope I'm wrong about what happened to Bryce, but I'm afraid you simply upped your game from what you did to me. All you did was break my heart… my spirit. You and Daniel… you broke Bryce's neck."

The diner was silent. Jill spun, shoved the door open, and marched out. Big Mike turned to Chuck.

"Damn, Son. You may have just stepped in it, this time." Morgan glanced down at Chuck's shoes, and started to bend down to inspect them. "Figuratively, Grimes! Figuratively!"

"Oh," he said sitting back up, nodding. "Got it."

}o{

It was nearly 5 PM. Chuck, Sarah, and Alex were gathered around the front desk, when the door opened. "I figure I'm _persona non grata_ around here, but…" Cal Roberts began.

"No, you're not," Sarah said. "I mean, to me you're not. I don't understand your actions the other day…"

"I'm with Sarah," Chuck chimed in. "I do not understand your actions, but you are always welcome here."

"They pay the bills, so what they say pretty much goes," Alex chimed in. Both Sarah and Chuck turned to look at her. "You know what, I feel like this is a private conversation, so why don't I go?"

"Good night, Alex," Chuck said. Sarah snorted, trying to hold back laughter. Alex left, and Chuck motioned for Cal to take a seat. He did, with Sarah and Chuck joining him.

"Bryce is dead, and I'm afraid it's my fault," Cal said softly.

"Did you break his neck?" Sarah asked.

"No," Cal said, shaking his head. "But I did suggest that Shaw might not get what he wanted if Graham's land was in someone else's name. I just didn't think it would be you two." He swallowed and looked away. "I don't know where I went wrong with her." Tears were in Cal's eyes. "I don't know why she thinks treating people the way she does is okay."

"Cal, I've never known you to condone that type of behavior, so why with Jill?" Chuck asked. It wasn't snarky, or Chuck trying to be mean… it was just him, being curious.

"I noticed it when your parents died," Cal said softly. "She realized how much you had to struggle, how much you had to rely on others, and… it did something to her. It began to change her, but she swore it was so she could be what the two of you needed."

Chuck sat there, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, Chuck. But I do know at some point it quit being about what the two of you needed, and it became about what _she_ needed." He was silent for a second. "She told me you couldn't be the man she needed. You couldn't do whatever it took to get things done."

"Any means necessary," Sarah added. Cal nodded. "No, he wouldn't."

"No, he wouldn't, and neither would Bryce," Cal added, looking directly at Sarah. "He was, to her, a means to an end." Cal looked up at the ceiling, and for a moment Chuck wondered if he was praying for strength. "I think she was involved in his murder. I think she, Shaw, and Quinn all had something to do with it… Graham getting infected, and trying to acquire that land."

"We know," Chuck said softly. Cal turned to him. "Bryce left us a tape, telling us."

"Shaw threatened to kill me if I told you," Cal choked out. "And as God as my witness, I believe him."

"What is going happening on your land?" Chuck asked.

"Quinn had rabid dogs brought in," Cal said, with tears in his eyes. "I only found out afterwards. Quinn was trying to scare off Graham so they could drill, find the oil, and then make it seem like they were drilling on _my_ land."

"And Graham got bit," Chuck finished for him.

Cal nodded. "I only found out after Graham was dead. I didn't know, Chuck. I didn't know."

"And now we all do," Chuck replied. "So, what are we gonna do?"

* * *

A/N: Well, what are they gonna do? What are you looking at me for? You think I know? WASH YO HANDS! Stay safe, more soon.


	18. Ch 18, Daniel Shaw

A/N: What a mess we have, what happens next? What, you think I know?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

Chuck lay awake, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about the last few hours since talking to Cal Roberts.

}o{

"Feds know he's here, they're trying to figure out how to get a team down here to watch him, but in their words, 'it's hard to blend in, in Sadie,'" Big Mike reported to the group gathered in his office.

"FBI always tends to stick out in their black suits," Sarah replied. "It's a shame the CIA isn't allowed to operate in the US."

"Yeah," Casey grunted. "You know they follow those rules _so_ stringently."

Chuck looked from one to the other. "You two know a lot about government intelligence agencies."

"They intrigue me," Sarah said with a shrug. Casey nodded. Chuck turned back to Big Mike, deciding discretion was the better part of valor.

"I've been trying to get ahold of Roan to see if he has any ideas, but he's not in Sadie right now," Big Mike began. Sarah was surprised by the shock on Chuck and Casey's face.

"Where is he?" Chuck asked.

Big Mike grinned. "Owensboro."

"Big Mike," Chuck began, grinning. "Are you telling me the notoriously single ladies' man, that refuses…" he paused and looked at Sarah.

"Oh, please, continue. I'm pretty sure I know where this is going," she said, amused.

"That refuses… his words, not mine…" he added, "to 'chase'…" He looked at Sarah, who shook her head. "Is in Owensboro, with Diane Beckman?"

"And I quote, 'That woman makes me want to pitch woo," Big Mike said, making them all explode with laughter.

}o{

He felt a weight roll off his shoulder, and came back to the moment. As he glanced over at Sarah, on her side facing away from him, he heard a low groan from the front porch floorboards. He'd been waiting for that. Pulling back the covers, he gently slipped out of bed. Sliding on some clothes, quietly, he walked to the front door. He paused, opened the door, and walked outside.

"Chuck Bartowski," came the voice in the dark. Chuck heard the rocking chair slowly rocking.

"You're in my seat," Chuck replied.

"That's not very hospitable. I've heard you southern boys are hospitable," the voice replied.

Chuck sat down on the porch swing. "Yeah, I'm not Bryce. You're not getting _my_ girl."

Shaw threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, Bartowski, if I wanted her, I'd have her. But I won't. Do you know why?"

"Because she finds you vile and disgusting?" Chuck offered.

"Because I have found someone that enjoys using me the same way I enjoy using her."

"Ah… so you are mutually disgusting. I'm sure there's a special spot in hell for the both of you, but you two sick freaks would probably enjoy it," Chuck replied.

"That's not very nice, Chuck. You've hurt my feelings," Shaw replied. The rocking stopped. He leaned forward.

"I'm sure you'll get over it," Chuck said, determining he really didn't care.

"I think I'm going to need something to forgive that transgression."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Chuck asked, having a good idea as to what he wanted.

"I think you should sell me Graham's land," Shaw replied. "Now, before you go getting all moral on me, I have a proposition for you. I buy it for five times what the actual land is valued at. It's a hell of a deal."

"I'm guessing you mean the topical value, not the mineral rights." Chuck heard Shaw chuckle. "Are you going to give me any other reasons, or are those implied?"

"Chuck, are you saying I'd threaten you?" Shaw asked. "Are you saying that if you don't, something might happen to you, or your lovely fiancé?"

"It's sort of your thing, if we're being honest," Chuck said, leaning back on the swing, grinning. "I'm kind of surprised you're this stupid."

Chuck's eyes had adjusted to the dark, and he saw both the surprise on Shaw's face with Chuck's grin, and then the anger rising in Shaw upon being called stupid. "I know you don't have a wire."

"Nope," Chuck replied. "But you just threatened a man, in the middle of the night, on his property. I could shoot you, and no one would say a word."

"You don't have a gun," Shaw pointed out, and then he heard the bolt action of a rifle rack a round.

"Nope, but she does," Chuck replied. Shaw's head turned toward the entrance, as the screen door opened, and Sarah walked out. She held Chuck's rifle, pointed at Shaw. Chuck saw Shaw become visibly uncomfortable. "Haven't you heard, we're a couple of crazy killers. We took out Bryce; it would be nothing for us to take you out, as well. We'd probably get a medal for our trouble, if I'm being honest. Save the FBI a lot of paperwork."

"They hate paperwork," Sarah added.

"Listen, you don't want to do this," Shaw said, his hands raised, and swallowing thickly. "My people will come after you."

"Will they?" Sarah asked. "Shaw, you're an ass. Even your own people hate you. In fact, they're only afraid of you. If you die, someone will take your place tomorrow, and all you'll be is an afterthought."

"Your wrong," Shaw barked. "Quinn will come after me. He's crazy you know."

"Crazy enough to let out rabid dogs on a poor innocent old man?" Chuck asked.

"That wasn't supposed to happen, but they got loose," Shaw replied, watching the barrel of the gun Sarah held. "We put that one down."

"How many more do you have?" Chuck asked.

"Only two. The other two went mad and died."

"A horrible way to die," Sarah said, aiming the rifle at Shaw's crotch.

"IT WASN'T MY IDEA!" Shaw screamed. "It was Quinn, he's crazy!"

"And you're similarly insane, for having him as a part of your crew," Sarah told him, gesturing at him with the gun. "Leave."

"Don't shoot," Shaw said, standing, and backing away.

"Probably safer to turn your back to her; that way she can't claim you were charging her, in the police report," Chuck explained to Shaw. Shaw glared at Chuck and then looked at Sarah, who had a smirk on her face. "Then again…"

"You try and hurt him, Daniel Shaw, and I will end you… slowly. And I know where all the nerves are," Sarah reminded him.

"You're just a vet, not a regular doctor," Daniel protested.

She shrugged. "The nerves are basically the same, at least starting with the spine. I'm sure I'll find them all, eventually, if I dig around a bit." Daniel fled. They heard his vehicle start, and gravel fly as he took off.

Chuck walked over, pushing the gun barrel down. "That was seriously hot. Disturbing, but hot."

"We both know that you think everything I do is hot," Sarah replied, grinning.

"Does that bother you?"

"Oh, hell no," Sarah replied, grabbing his shirt in her fist. "How hot are you right now? Need to go cool down?" With that, she let go of his shirt, and went inside. Chuck stumbled after her, but not before he made sure the front door was locked.

}o{

On the drive to work the next morning, Chuck noticed the Shaw Oil truck parked down the street from the clinic. He walked in, deciding it was time. "Alex, would you please call your dad, Big Mike, and Mr. Roberts to come over here at their earliest convenience?"

"What happened?" Alex asked, seeing right through Chuck.

"Shaw showed up last night," Sarah said, putting on her white coat. "Probably better get Lou as well, she knows so much that we might need her."

"Good idea," Chuck added. "Sarah also pulled a gun on Shaw… it was _uber_ hot." He glanced at Sarah. "Roan?"

"Roan," she said with a nod. She then looked at him and grinned. "Be honest; you think that me putting on this coat is hot."

"I totally do," Chuck said, the two heading toward the back.

"No sex back there!" Alex called after them, shaking her head.

}o{

The entire group at the conference table stared at Chuck and Sarah, after the story of the night before was told. "What?" Chuck asked.

"I've never heard you so…" Casey trailed off, not wanting to hurt Chuck's feelings.

"Ballsy?" Sarah asked, grinning. Casey nodded.

"Love of a good woman," Chuck offered, shrugging. "He's not hurting anyone else. I'm done playing this game by his rules."

"So, we have problems," Big Mike spoke up. "We have no real evidence, and Shaw's hot shot lawyers will get him out of trouble."

"We know what to do," Chuck said, looking over at Cal. "Get out of town for a few days. I know where to look for the evidence I need."

"All that's back there is those dogs," Cal reminded Chuck. "Even if you get to them, and get them tested, what then? Shaw has covered his tracks every single step of the way."

"He has, but Quinn hasn't," Sarah said, as Chuck nodded. "He's the weak link. Shaw admitted he's crazy, and my guess is he hasn't been as proficient at covering up things as Shaw."

"He's a known hitman," Big Mike said, everyone turning to him as he imparted that knowledge. "It took a bit to find his real name, but he's verifiably a hitman."

"So, what do we do?" Lou asked. Chuck gave her a look. "Oh hell, no, Chuck Bartowski, you are _not_ doing this by yourself, or just you and Sarah Wal… You know what, I'm not even gonna call her Walker, because we all know."

Chuck's mouth dropped. "She's right, son," Big Mike said. "You've done too much for this town for too long. It's time we do something for you."

"There's no way Quinn is going to touch you. I promise," Casey said, laying his hand on Chuck's shoulder and squeezing. "Also, Gertrude is a hell of a shot, herself."

"I'll shoot the balls off that sonofabitch if he tries anything," she said, never blinking an eye. Sarah didn't know how well Gertrude could shoot, but she was sure that if she said it, then it was true.

"Guys, I can't ask you to," Chuck began.

"Chuck," Sarah said, cutting him off. "Shut. Up." Chuck looked at her, his mouth open, shocked to see the exasperated look on her face. "Sweetie, I love you, but you are such a dumbass sometimes."

"He really is," Lou agreed.

"Thanks?" Chuck replied.

"Babe, haven't you figured it out yet? You are worthy, these people love you, and they will do anything for you. Including going to war beside you, against these mob guys."

"There's only two," Chuck said.

"Right, but-"

"No, Sarah, there's only two," Chuck said again. He turned to Big Mike who perked up. "How many times have you heard of there being _just_ two?"

"I'll get on the horn with the Feds," Big Mike said, running out the door.

"What am I missing, Bartowski?" Casey asked.

"Maybe Shaw isn't as connected as we think," Chuck said. "If it's only the two of them…."

"Three," Cal pointed out. "You forgot my daughter."

"Oh, I didn't," Sarah said. "I got her."

Chuck looked over at Sarah, a stupid grin on his face. "Have I told you how hot you are?" Sarah shook her head, as Casey groaned something about ladyfeelings.

* * *

A/N: Sounds like there might be trouble coming.


	19. Ch 19, It's A Small Town After All

A/N: Well…now what?

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck

* * *

"Lou, what is the problem?" Big Mike asked. Lou looked over at Big Mike, and as Quinn turned to do the same, she gave the police chief a wink.

"This money, it's counterfeit," she said, making a big production out of things.

"I'm telling you, it _ain't_ counterfeit," Quinn retorted. "I'd know if it was," he said, under his breath.

"Well, what should we do then?" Big Mike asked. "Call the Feds? Should I hold him here, until they can get here?"

"Over ten dollars?" Quinn asked. "First I tried to use my credit card, she said it came back stolen."

"Stolen?" Big Mike asked.

"Stolen," Lou replied. She neglected to mention it had not, actually, come back stolen, as she had chosen not to run it.

"Then I tried to pay her cash, and she said it was all counterfeit," Quinn continued, giving Lou a look like she was crazy.

Roan, sitting at a table a few feet away, heard the whole thing. He smiled at his date, Diane Beckman, and sent a text. Back at Chuck and Sarah's house – well, technically it was still Chuck and Ellie's, but everyone, including Ellie, was calling it Chuck and Sarah's – Chuck saw the text, started the truck, and with Sarah headed toward the Robert's farm.

"You okay?" Sarah asked him.

Chuck nodded. "It's time to end this," Chuck replied.

}o{

The three walked up on the pen that held the rabid dogs. "We need to put those poor creatures out of their misery," Chuck said softly.

"What you _need_ to do, is die," Shaw said, holding a gun on Cal, Chuck, and Sarah.

"You'll never get the land that way," Chuck replied with a shrug.

"I don't need to," Shaw replied with a shrug. "All I have to do is make you go missing. I've learned things since being here." A gun went off, and Cal dropped to the ground.

Chuck and Sarah stood there, in shock. Shaw turned, and found Jill behind him, holding a pistol. "I tried and tried to warn him," she said, no sadness or remorse in her voice.

"You just killed your father, you lunatic!" Chuck said, wanting to check on Cal, but wary of the guns pointed at him. "What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with _me? What's wrong with you?!_" Jill screamed, her eyes full of madness. "You _know_ what it's like to rely on others, and it gets you _nothing! I_ control my life! ME!"

"You picked a mentally stable one there, Shaw," Sarah said, shaking her head. Shaw pointed his pistol at her. "Is that how you solve everything, by killing?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, it's worked so far."

"This whole thing is _FUBAR!_" Chuck yelled the last word, and dual shots went off. The guns flew out of both Jill's and Shaw's hands. "Jill, the thing you're wrong about is, I _do_ rely on others, and they've never let me down."

Shaw screamed in rage, and charged Chuck. A rifle went off again, the round impacting near Shaw's foot as he ran, making him stumble. Chuck ducked down and, as he felt Shaw's body make contact, he raised up, flipping Shaw over his back. Chuck, proud of himself, straightened, turned, and expected to see the other man on the ground behind him. What Chuck forgot was that the dog pen was behind him. He heard the growls, the screams, and turned away as the two crazed dogs dove at Shaw.

Jill screamed in anger, and started towards Chuck. Her arms were outstretched, like she meant to push him over, causing Chuck to join Shaw. A right fist streaked across her face, and she dropped to the ground, as it connected directly with her jaw.

Chuck turned to Sarah, and then looked down at Jill. "_Damn,_ you are such a bad ass." He suddenly remembered Cal. "Cal!" he yelled, turning. Cal was slowly getting up. "You okay?"

"I'm sure glad you convinced me to wear that Kevlar," he said. "How'd you know?"

"I didn't… I figured Shaw would try on one on us, though. I'm just glad it wasn't a head shot," Chuck admitted. "We got lucky." Chuck looked at dog pen, and the dead man who had bled out from the ripped throat the dogs had inflicted on him. "Very lucky."

}o{

"If you don't mind, I do have plans for this afternoon," Chuck said, his hands on the sow's abdomen, palpating. "And I really need to take a shower beforehand."

"I'll say," came the voice behind him, making him freeze.

"STOP!" Chuck barked. "I'm not allowed see the bride before the wedding!"

"Chuck, I'm in clothes to help you deliver piglets. I'm not in my wedding finery," Sarah reminded him, humor in her voice.

"I'm really making an impression on your mom, aren't I?"

"You are, but not the bad one you think you are," Sarah told him, squatting down beside him. "Is she in distress?"

"Nope, just cold and in no hurry to have them," Chuck replied. "Piglets are fine. I know we're under a time crunch, but-"

"Chuck… pigs first, _then_ the wedding," Sarah said giving him a grin. "_I _get it."

It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and the day of Chuck and Sarah's wedding. After checking everyone's calendars, it had seemed the perfect day to have a wedding. However, someone forgot to tell this sow, that was currently in labor. That, or she was upset at not receiving an invitation.

"Most women wouldn't be okay with this, on their wedding day," Chuck began.

"Jill," Sarah replied. "You mean Jill." Chuck grinned, his head ducked down. "And you didn't make this pig go into labor… _did_ you?"

"Yep, you caught me. I was so against marrying the smartest, kindest, sweetest, funniest, most compassionate woman I've ever met in my life, who I've basically lived with as my wife for the past several months, that I snuck down here and gave this pig 250 milligrams of cloprostenol, just to avoid marrying you," Chuck said, fighting to not roll his eyes.

"The whole thing sounds sketchy," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "So, who's this other woman you're apparently marrying today, because the person you described is _definitely_ not me."

Chuck stood to his full height, and she stood with him, a smirk on her face. "Listen here, missy," he said.

"Yeah, buster?" she said, stepping toward him.

"Will you two _please_ not mix your peanut butter and chocolate while my hogs are farrowing?" Casey pleaded, having walked up to the barn door. "You two have to go. Ellie is gonna kill me."

"No, I'm not," Ellie said, startling Casey, who hadn't seen her come up behind him. "It's what they do; I get it. We should have made sure there was someone on call to be here."

"No wedding?" Casey asked, and they all heard the regret in his voice.

"Oh, they are getting married," Ellie assured him.

Chuck turned to Sarah. "If you want out, you better run now, from the sound of it."

"I'm not going anywhere," Sarah replied, giving him a soft peck on the lips. "Now quit gawking at me. We have piglets to help farrow."

}o{

It was dark as they walked up the drive from the barn to Casey's house. "Oh, did I tell you that Big Mike said that Quinn has turned State's evidence on at least fifteen members of the crime family?"

"He sure was talkative," Sarah replied, fighting a yawn. "Any word on Jill?"

"You mean since she got shanked in prison?" Chuck asked. Sarah turned away, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "I don't know who put her in the same prison as Shaw's wife… or would that be, widow?"

"Widow," Sarah replied, still laughing.

Chuck grinned at her. "I mean, apparently Evelyn was not forgiving of Jill having an affair with Shaw."

"Did she know that going in?" Sarah asked. "That Shaw was married?"

"Did Evelyn care?" Chuck responded, making Sarah laugh even harder.

"You two," came Ellie's voice, coming from the sidewalk leading to front porch of Casey's.

"The heavy's here," Chuck whispered to Sarah.

"Have you smelled yourself, 'cause _you_ a little heavy, if you know what I mean," Sarah replied.

"Come on, Sarah," Ellie said, taking her and leading her off. "You're getting married."

"Are there shotguns involved?" Chuck asked, grinning. The grin faltered at Ellie's glare. "Yes, ma'am," he responded.

"Don't show weakness," Devon said, walking up to Chuck.

"Oh, you finally figured that out?" Chuck asked Devon.

"I mean, I did. I still do, mind you, but I figured it out."

}o{

The Roberts front yard was decorated simply, every chair filled with what appeared to be the entire population of Sadie, as Chuck stood in front of them all.

"You can still run, you know," Morgan whispered from his officiant spot.

"Why in the world would I want to?" Chuck asked. Morgan gave him a nod of approval. The music began, and everyone turned to see Sarah being led down the aisle by her mom.

"Very progressive," Morgan said.

"It's Sarah. That's her, and they better get used to it," Chuck replied with a shrug.

"They have," Morgan said, looking out over the crowd and seeing all the smiling faces. "They have."

}o{

There were bonfires, the yard was lit with lamps and torches, and barbeque was flowing. Hayrides were offered for the kids, people were toasting marshmallows, and it was a joyous occasion.

"Don't look now, but Diane and Roan are eating barbeque together," Chuck said to Sarah.

"Is she having the pecan pie?" Sarah asked.

"I'm not sure, but Roan hasn't looked at one other lady the entire night. And I've really not seen him look at anyone since they started…" Chuck looked around, and Sarah joined him. He leaned his head towards hers. "Since they started…" he glanced around again, quickly, "…dating."

Sarah gasped in faux shock. "The scandal!"

"I think that will be later tonight, and then again tomorrow, when neither is in church," Chuck said.

"Having a religious experience in their bedroom?" Sarah asked, as Chuck was taking a drink of tea.

He sputtered and nearly spilled it on himself, as Sarah smirked and chuckled, clearly proud of herself.

"Trying to collect on some kind'a life insurance, now that we're married?"

"Keeping you on your toes, dear," she replied.

"_That's_ a new position," he said, just as she took a drink, causing her to nearly spill hers.

"Truce?" she asked, grinning.

"Why, we both know you'll break it the second it's convenient."

She shrugged. "But you love me anyway."

"Gosh darn it, I do," he replied, both laughing.

They each felt a hand on their far shoulders, and a head appeared between theirs. "I'm proud of you two."

"Morgan, while I am happy to hear that, why are you proud of us?" Chuck asked. "I am assuming you're as curious as I am?" he asked Sarah.

"Probably more so," she said with a wink.

He sighed happily, ignoring the two. "You two crazy kids made this work, when you had every reason not to."

"But I had one overwhelming reason _to_ make it work," Chuck said.

"Me too," Sarah added. Morgan grinned, straightened, removed his hands, and tugged on his coat lapels, proud of himself. They watched him strut off. Sarah leaned over. "So, this thing on your toes?"

"Yessssss?" Chuck asked.

"What will the dogs think?"

Chuck made a show of thinking and then gave her a look. "I don't think they'll look us in the eye for a week." She laughed, raising her glass to him, and they clinked them together.

"Sarah, is that sweet tea?"

"Mmmhmm," she hummed.

"I thought Sarah Walker didn't drink sweet tea."

"Sarah _Walker_ doesn't," she replied. "But Sarah _Bartowski loves_ it." Chuck roared with laughter.

* * *

A/N: Hey, thanks for stopping by Sadie. Mind the speed limit on the way home, and come on back now, you hear? See you soon. Reviews, PMs, Fingerpistols, whatever, they're all appreciated (WASH YO HANDS!)


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